Book 1), Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods

My daughter chose this for her summer reading project but she abandoned the book when an adult character and a teen character (strangers to each other) started to have a somewhat sexual encounter in a dress shop. My daughter did not read any further, so I have no idea how far they went with this type of thing, but this does not reflect our values. In addition, upon further reading about the book, I found that the vampire characters are supposed to be the fallen angels, who sided with Satan so the book offensive to us theologically also. At my daughter's request, I deleted it from her kindle.

~3/5

This is kind of like Gossip Girl with vampires.

This series has a very different take on vampires and immortality. I found the idea interesting, and their vampirism qualities I liked, including their visions. The immortality I had a harder time grasping. I suppose them actually dying and being reborn makes it easier to explain their age and whatnot, but I don’t understand how that works. How are they reborn so easily, and clearly some things change, like if they decide to fall in love with someone else. How does taking their blood when they die and remaking them later work? And how do they decide when to die, since they’re unable to when teenagers? I don’t understand.

Aside from that, this was an all right book. I found Schuyler’s character okay, an average character to follow, with an interesting backstory. I liked her friendship with Oliver, and possible relationship with Jack. I think I enjoyed Bliss more, with her trying to decide who she wants to be, trying to fit in with the popular crowd, and then falling for Dylan. Mimi I did not like at all, though I could understand her side of things.

The pace was pretty slow, and the writing more intricate. The ending was interesting, but I don’t think I’ll be picking up the next one. It was just okay.

[More of my reviews are available on my blog, Geeky Reading, to which there's a link on my profile.]

Schuyler Van Alen believed that she was just a normal teenager, living a normal life, and just didn't seem to fit in. Attending a private school isn't the world that Schuyler wanted to enter, what with all of the high fashion when she would rather wear her "unfashionable" clothes. But she never thought she would enter the world of the vampires, either.

When she turns 15, Schuyler discovers some major changes in herself, like the veins in her arms that are distinctly blue. And the blue veins can only mean that she is part of the Blue Bloods, a group of vampires whose ancestors go as far back as the Mayflower. Being a Blue Blood isn't so bad, right?

Well, when a murder takes place and a popular guy starts to notice you, Schuyler knows that there is something strange going on, and it's up to her to crack all of the society's secrets and to keep herself out of danger while doing it.

Melissa de la Cruz does not disappoint with BLUE BLOODS. The world that Ms. de la Cruz has created is not only unique but also very intriguing. Fans of the vampire world will definitely want to add this to their collection, and will be looking forward to MASQUERADE, the next novel in the series.

Blue Bloods, the first installment in Melissa de la Cruz series that came out about a half decade ago was thrust upon me by my teenage daughter. She and her friends had stated numerous times how much they loved the series. I put it off for the last couple years simply because I knew I would not stop after the first one. I would have to read on…

As with all series, the first book creates the foundation upon which all the rest of the story is built. Introductions are made, settings established and plotline created. We discover the snotty wealthy girl(s), the unnaturally handsome young men, the loner group and the cast of ever-powerful career oriented parents. Then we find ourselves thrust into a world of plausible history, vampires and their nemesis’, which most of the time is each other. There is always the queen bitch set out to destroy the loner Goth girl who realizes that this shy girl clad in black is an actual threat to her relationship with the popular gorgeous leading man. Of course, the only one the Goth girl has to rely on is her equally misfit although stunningly handsome under the frumpy hair, male friend who finally confesses his love for her as well even though it was not necessary because we all knew it all along anyway. And as usual, this loner misfit is discarded by the Goth girl for the handsome jock and who then finds comfort eventually after a long suffering of a broken heart. Yada yada yada…. Been there, read that… … or rather been there, saw that...Gossip Girl anyone??!!

Still a MUCH better story than Twilight!!

I almost put this book down several times because usually if I'm not into a book within at least the first 100 pages then I never will be but I have heard such great things about this series that I stayed with it and Blue Bloods redeemed itself in the last few chapters somewhat. I gave it two stars sadly just for laying the groundwork to hopefully a more meaningful adventure in the second book.

The characters never came to life for me and were just drab and boring. The only one with any finess at all was the evil minded Mimi who basically single-handedly kept the story alive with her jealousy and bad attitude. I kept waiting on Jack to break out of his shell and show me something but even though he had a few spurts of life and interest in Schuyler he always let his father and twin (Mimi) rule his world.

Bliss and Dylan was a relationship that I saw potential in and just when I was becoming involved (FINALLY) in the story, chaos and mystery break out and the book ends.

Schuyler who I would think should be a main character is just flat and at first I was hoping her and Jack would become a team/couple but Jack acts as though he has no mind of his own so then their is Oliver but one minute he is acting like a child and the next he is all knowing so I just easily got disgusted with the characters.

Another thing that just bugged me to no end was it was almost midways before any mention of vampires and angels ever came into play. The first half was merely high school kids on their day to day crisis.

Melissa De La Cruz has written an interesting novel with Blue Bloods, the first in the series of the same name. The book is basically a young adult vampire novel. The book has some major similarities to other books within the young adult world, which might be completely unintentional, but it was on the annoying side to be reminded of other stories. The big one is that it reminds me a lot of Gossip Girl, only instead of the characters just being filthy rich Upper East Side teenagers, they have the added benefit of being gorgeous, immortal, and powerful due to their vampire heritage. When I say vampire heritage, I mean actual heritage. These kids are born vampires, though they don't find out until they reach their teens.

There are several main characters within the story, each with his or her own personality, agenda, and background. The main characters appear to be Schuyler, Oliver, Bliss, Mimi, and Jack. Bliss, Mimi, and Jack are full-blooded vampires, while Schuyler is a half-blood and her best friend Oliver is sort of like her trusted sidekick that was assigned to her as an infant. All of the main characters are easy to empathize with, with the exception of Mimi who comes off as the stereotypical popular, vapid, rich girl. Her character could possibly improve in future books, and I hope she does, because I don't want to root for her to die or anything. It kind of sucks when you have to do that with a protagonist.

Although the book is interesting and could even be considered good, I don't think it's all that remarkable. In some parts of the book, it was extremely easy to read and fun, but other parts just seemed to fall a bit flat. I think that the struggle between some of the protagonists and the Wardens/Conclave (vampires in power) over the issue of Silver Bloods (the Big Bad) was intriguing, though some of it was almost predictable. I found it a little hard to believe that Jack didn't realize his own "father"'s origins. I know that he hasn't looked into his past life memories as much as his twin/bondmate, but it seems like he would have known who he was. I have to wonder if Mimi knows, since she acts like she knows everything.

I was irked by the idea of twins, even of a different species, being attracted to one another and being in romantic relationships with one another. Even when explained, it irked me out, but I guess I will never get the appeal of incest in fantasy stories. (Or other stories.) Maybe if the explanation had been given earlier in the book, when the first hints at incest were made, then it wouldn't have been quite as hard to swallow, but since it wasn't, it was more irksome. I'm just glad that other characters, who didn't know that it was considered the norm for the species, were just as disgusted by it.

The interesting might be worth reading, and I think I'll stick with it for a while to see if it gets better. I hope that it does because it could be great if it actually gets better. Otherwise, it may just be the beginning of some sort of literary trainwreck.

CAUTION! THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK ALREADY!!!!!!!

When I first started this book I didn’t read the back of it. I just saw the cover and thought of maybe vampires are going after humans in Manhattan. But after I got a little bit further in it I stopped to read the back of it. I was shocked but I was also too far into the book to stop. I was really interested in it.

Melissa de la Cruz in my head is a really good author and I love this book series even though I just started it. I will give this book a five stars as this is a good book and one that I would recommend to anyone. This books is awesome and gives a good twist on vampires and something else that I won’t want to ruin for anyone else that wants to read this book.

To read my other blog posts/reviews please go to my site: baronessbooktrove.com

I came across Blue Bloods just after Masquerade was published in 2007. I would stroll up and down the aisles of the YA section at Barnes and Noble looking for new reads. I saw the cover of Blue Bloods and was immediately drawn in by the obvious vampire aspect. I mean, c’mon. There are bite marks on her neck. MUST be vampire involved! Honestly, I think this is when I came across Twilight, too, but put it back cause it didn’t catch me. I thought what the heck, school’s almost over so I’ll pick it up. I started it the next school day. Wow. Back to B&N to get book 2! I actually “got in trouble” in my AP US History class for reading this one. My teacher told me if I was going to read in class at least make it look like I was paying attention. I said okay and set the book down on my desk and kept reading. (: Now, I wasn’t being bad, I’m great with history. Can’t remember what we were covering, but it was something I already knew well so… I read. (:

Blue Bloods is a quick and light read. It’s full of NYC socialite drama with a dark twist. I never thought I would go for a book like this, but Melissa does such a fantastic job with the story line that some of the Mean Girls type drama actually makes it better overall.

The drama and intrigue continues in book two, Masquerade.

Recommended for: Those who have an interest in fallen angels, vampires, NYC, and lots of drama (but GOOD drama!)

Not recommended for: Those who don’t care for drama or a new spin on vampires.

My full review can be found on my blog: [...]

I started and finished this book with mixed feelings. I'd heard from a friend that I really needed to start this series, but I wasn't sure it was something I'd enjoy. So because I had nothing else to read, I picked this up and started reading. It was slow to get into, but the plot was interesting, and that was really the only thing that kept me hooked.

I detested the writing style of Blue Bloods. It was as if someone took something like The Clique and added vampires, making the characters a few years older. There was too much obsession over clothes, with every new scene dropping brand names like the author was getting paid for every mention, or it was supposed to impress me, or something of that sort. Even the one character, Schuyler (and I could not for the life of me figure out how to pronounce this until someone in the book called her `Sky') who dresses like she doesn't care what anyone thinks, is embarrassed whenever someone makes fun of the way she dresses. What? Not only that, but she is content to lust after a guy who keeps ignoring and being quite rude to her. What's attractive about that?

Ahem. Anyway, there were things I really liked about the book, too. The plot was really interesting, and I liked the whole concept of `Blue Bloods', although it came in gigantic information dumps of telling, not showing, which could be aggravating. Some parts of it I didn't understand, but there was no further information, and I'd end up confused. But, the second half of the book especially, the plot was enough to see me through. With a mysterious monster on the loose and several things happening at once, I was flipping the pages to see what would happen next. That's all I really want in a book.

Despite being unsure of how I feel about Blue Bloods, I think I'll continue on with this series, even if the writing tends to annoy me. I really want to know what's going to happen next, although I'll make sure to rent this from the library, instead of buying it. It's not great enough for that. I give this novel 3.5/5 stars.

Blue Bloods is the first book a series of vampire novels with the same name by Melissa de la Cruz.

The book is set in modern Manhattan with flashbacks to past events and lives.

The story is told through the viewpoints from three of the main characters; Schuyler, Mimi and Bliss. For me this made Blue Bloods a more interesting read. It helped me to understand the different characters motives.

Schuyler Van Alen: is the poor, social outcast in a sea of rich Gossip Girl-esque students. Schuyler is one of those painfully shy girls who doesn't yet realise how beautiful or extraordinary she is. At times that annoyed me to no end. By the end of the book I could see her come out of her shell more and gain some moxy.I liked that she was a free thinker and didn't need to fit in with the popular girl cliques. Her friendship with Oliver seemed genuine and just like any other team of best friends.

Mimi Force: is the ultimate Queen Bee and all the way mean girl. Though extremely beautiful her personality is non-existent. She prizes immaterial possession's and is basically an privileged self-loving brat. I like the bad girl though... well I would except her ultra-creepy relationship with her twin Jack is stomach turning. Where on earth the author came up with that, I could never guess. I'm hoping that like most bad-girls we get to see that Mimi does in fact have a nice side.

Bliss Llewellyn: is one of Mimi followers. She seems to have a personality though and keeps it hidden so that she can remain in Mimi's good graces. I didn't connect with Bliss though and I'm not sure why. She seems to really struggle with what she is about to come and the ending of the book for her is a sad one.

Jack Force: is described as this typical high school popular guy that just like completely rules the school. He is described as extremely "hot" in Schuyler's words. Though we get glimpses of Jacks motives and personality he is very closed off. His relationship with his sister Mimi is on the border of incest, call me weird but I can't get into a guy when this is one of his storylines.

It's taken me a while to get around to reading blue Bloods and I'm glad I finally did. I loved the story being told from different viewpoints and the flashes to past events. The combining of vampires and angels is a very unique and refreshing plot. I like that there are so many secrets yet to be unhidden and the fact you are left with so many questions at the end.

This was a good read and definitely geared towards a YA audience. I'm eager to see how some of the storylines play out.

For the original review and more, please visit markedbybooks.blogspot.com

Ok, so now I have officially finished reading this book and I am already starting to read the second one, Masquerade, which I will be sure to post a review about when I am done... which will probably be in another 24 to 26 hours. No joke.

Now, I am sure that the whole "vampire" theory is getting old and stale and many of us are really getting fed up with the whole "I am a vampire and going to suck your blood," scenario. Am I right? Maybe, because before I read this book, I was really starting to want to take a break from them. But now.... No offense to the classics but thanks, but no thanks. This new take on vampirism is really something to appreciate because it isn't all that gory. There is no garlic, sun, or silver allergies to take into account like Hollywood seems to think. De la Cruz seems to have the perfect image of how to capture the attention of a teen audience when the rest of the world has us hanging by a thread to the wonderful world of reading literature. Granted, the vampire scenario is not exactly literature per se, but it's fairly relatable.

Now, to start with the actual review..... WOW! Just WOW! Let me be honest, yes the beginning was fairly slow and there was not really all that much to capture my interest. But, I am not the type of person who starts a book and stops if it gets boring. For some odd reason, I finish the book even if I am literally falling asleep reading it, that's how boring it is. That's beside the point though. My point is, even though the beginning was quite slow, and boring, I was glad that I stuck with it.
As I mentioned before, De la Cruz has a whole new intake on the vampire theory. Yes, they still drink blood, as far as vampire stereotypes go. So, the Blue Bloods are the vampires who are reincarnated every century or so and guess what...........? Their blood is...... wait for it..... BLUE! Kinda obvious, but also really cool. The Red Bloods are humans. We have, quite obviously, red blood. And then there are the Silver Bloods who are rogues, for lack of a better word. Well, yes there are better words, but they aren't appropriate. Now, the Silvers are the vampires who used to be Blue Bloods but then they realized that Blue Blood was better as well as more powerful than regular, ole human blood. So, I suppose you could call it a form of cannibalism. Now, the basis of the first book is to introduce the basics about the characters, Schuyler (pronounced Skylar) and her BFF Oliver, who is human.

Now, I have already given away too much about the book, so I will just go with saying that this new take on vampirism is refreshing because it is not all about drying up in the sun. It's not all about blood. It's not even all about murder. Granted, the Silver Bloods murder to get the Blue Blood, but that it is what draws the attention of readers.

So if you ever need a new book, look no further than this one.

Gabby

For the original review and more, please visit markedbybooks.blogspot.com

Blue Bloods is an interesting twist on the vampire mythology. The idea that vampires are fallen angels and live by a strict code was very creative...so was the idea that each vampire soul was reincarnated over and over again, so the 'teens' of today are actually thousands of years old and are able, eventually, to remember those lifetimes.

Ultimately, though, there was too much confusion in this book (and the ones following it) to really let me enjoy the book. It was hard to keep track of who was who since they refer to themselves and others by multiple names. I also had a hard time keeping the family designations straight. I had a hard time keeping track of who was bonded to whom, who was destined for whom, who was sister/brother/lover and who the 'parents' are since really, none of them are related at all (or are they?). Sometimes it's also hard to tell what is a previous life experience (i.e. normal) and what's a silver blood threat.

Writing wise, some parts were highly detailed while others read more than a story outline than a full-fledged scene. And there's little continuity throughout the book (a character will decide one thing and then switch the next page for no reason). This is also a problem from book to book (between books 2 and 3 a relationship progresses from a stolen kiss to a full-on lover situation and we're given no details on this).

The book also jumps narrative perspectives. While Schulyer is the 'main' character, parts of the story are told from Mimi or Blis' perspectives, too. I liked this for the most part, but of course when one story got interesting it would switch to another and by the time the original story continued the moment had passed.

There are some good ideas here, but for me the way it was put together was too frustrating to work. If you're looking for a YA vampire series I'd recommend the Morganville Vampire series or Vampire Academy instead of this.

"They were embarking on a journey into the darkness inside themselves."

Blue Bloods takes a long time to get going. A loooong time. The first 140 pages of the book, nearly half of the novel, serve up various clues to the mysteries of the Blue Bloods. Why are blue veins suddenly appearing on teens' arms? Why do they crave raw, bloody meat? Why do they have dreams that seem disturbingly real? What is The Committee, beyond its front as a charitable organization? And what does the Mayflower have to do with all of this? In a sudden gush of information, all of the secrets are finally spouted up.

Duchesne is the hoity-toity private Manhattan school the Blue Bloods attend. Mimi Frost is the snobby, beautiful queen bee, and Jack is her twin brother with whom Mimi has an attachment bordering on creepy obsession. Bliss is the new girl, welcomed into the cool girl clique as Mimi's best friend. Bliss is expected to toe the line, but doesn't always do so. Schuyler is the secretly beautiful girl hidden beneath a goth exterior and layers of baggy clothing. In other words, cliches abound.

Fashion is a huge focal point of the novel. Much time is devoted to describing the designer clothes worn by the teenagers, time that could have been better spent developing the characters. The fact that the Blue Bloods are vampires almost seemed an afterthought. The ending does set up what will be hopefully be an exciting showdown between the Blue Bloods and their evil brethren, the Silver Bloods.

I have heard that subsequent novels in the series improve, so I will read Masquerade (Blue Bloods, Book 2) in the hope that more time is spent on the vampire angle.

Review featured on The Lost Dragonfly Chronicles

This is my second time reading Blue Bloods and I enjoyed it more this time than the first time I read it. Blue Bloods is beyond detailed. The pages come to life right in front of you and even if you haven't been to New York it made you feel like it was a familiar place. Everything just had this perfect meticulous detail. It felt like I was at Duchesne with them or sitting in Penthouse Du Reves with Bliss. As well as riding in a taxi with Schuyler, seeing the scenery change heading towards her house. I've never felt so enveloped in a book that I almost felt a part of it. The historical aspect of this book was remarkable. I have to say Melissa has some major balls to take such a significant part of American history and put her own spin on it. Everything just came together seamlessly and even when I had questions on certain things, she tied them in beautifully.

One thing I realized early on about this book is it can be slightly unrealistic. A majority of teens can't walk around with $400 dollar jeans or get into nightclubs. I think that is what made the book so appealing though. I got to step inside the world of the rich and privileged and take a peek around. It is a great reality escape and Melissa De La Cruz had no problem of making me get swept up in the world.

The vampire part of Blue Bloods was fascinating. I love that it wasn't you typical vampire story. The way it tied in with the historical part was incredible. The process of the vampires was pretty neat and all the different cycles they had. You aren't just born a vampire or bitten and made into one. I like that it was made into a society and it fit in with the wholes rich New York feel. I like that the story doesn't come right out as a vampire book. Though you get a glimpse through certain point of views, it becomes more pronounced about a fourth of a way in. The denial in Blue Bloods about the bad things that were happening was a little absurd to me. I don't know why some of the characters want to act blinded about it when it is practically happening in front of them. I enjoyed the fact that the vampires have to fear for once and it's not the vampires putting fear into others.

Even though the book switched point of views, I feel like the main storyline was based on Schuyler. Schuyler isn't my favorite character but I enjoy her storyline. I like how naive and reserved she is, even down to her clothes. Sometimes she can come off as over sensitive. Even though it is only book one, I think Schuyler has to deal with a lot and learn things fast. I think by the end of the book Schuyler really grew bold. When she starts to figure out what is happening, she isn't afraid to ask questions.

I love Mimi's character. Some people see her as bitchy, but I love her snarky attitude. Her relationship with Jack was a little odd at first, but when it's explained toward the end of Blue Bloods it makes things a lot clearer. Even though I could relate more to Bliss as a character, everyone loves to hate the bad girl. Bliss was probably my favorite character. Going from being a southern girl and thrown into the New York social scene can be overwhelming and she handled herself well. Even though she was popular and had boys falling all over her, she still had insecurities. There is also a big mystery about Bliss and I can't wait to discover it...again.

I am surprised at how strong some of the sexual scenes are. Most YA books are tame, but I love the heat that simmers through the pages of Blue Bloods. The love stories were enjoyable, some came off as predictable and others left you wondering how you didn't figure it out. In Blue Bloods I am not a huge fan of any of the boys. Though they are noteworthy, I don't have any swoon moments for them. But like I said it is only book one.

The ending definitely leaves you on a somber note, but you realize that it is about to get exciting. This book takes you off to vivid world that you don't want to leave. All vampire lovers need to sink their teeth into this one.

About the Book:
Blue Bloods follows New York's elite with their fancy parties and designer clothes. However, most of New York's elite isn't what you would call human. In fact, they are actually vampires. In this particular novel, we follow the characters of Mimi Force, Bliss Llewellyn, and Schuyler Van Allen as they navigate the treacherous world of popularity and becoming vampires. However, there is more to worry about than just that. Something is killing the Blue Bloods (the vampires), and only Jack, Mimi's brother, Schuyler, and Bliss seem concerned.

Review:
If you're wanting an original vampire book, you have found one here. However, if you are expecting something dark and morbid, this isn't it. Now, I'm not saying this book is all puppies and sunshine, but it definitely has a Mean Girls feel to it.

Although this isn't the best written piece out there, it definitely was original and interesting. It was fun to see the petty dramas, and the book had me wanting to know who the Silver Blood (the creature killing the Blue Bloods) was. De la Cruz did a fabulous job at leading you down several paths and making you wonder which one was correct. Not only was the style unique, but de la Cruz's vampires are as well. Instead of being the undead, she has her vampires as fallen angels that are reincarnated through several human life times so that they may atone for their sins.

Now, one of the downfalls of this book is that it takes quite a while for it to get to the meat of the plot. About three fourths of Blue Bloods consists of vindictive plays and the characters trying to figure out what is happening to them. The downfall to this is we know from page one that the main characters are vampires. However, I personally still felt the book was interesting. Honestly, I feel the biggest fault the book had was the designer name dropping. Although I do not endorse myself entirely in the fashion world, I still hold quite an interest in it. However, even I was growing tired of the constant name dropping of designers. I understand that it shows part of the elite society and helps create a feel, but sometimes you read five different designers in one paragraph alone (and they're not long paragraphs).

Granted, even with the slow starts and the fashion trivia bombarded in your face, I still found it to be a very enjoyable read. As stated earlier, it's not the most well written piece by any means, but it definitely had originality and left me reaching for the next installment in the series.

** spoiler alert ** I had a hard time getting into this book, but my friend said its a great series, so I made my way through... The other seems to get stuck on who is rich or isn't, where they go and has to discribe it all to a T even what the buildings look like, designer labels, and the smallest detail about every character. With that said the plot comes out in the midst of it all even though it is kinda buried in with all the other stuff. It really picks up speed toward the end and reveals what is going on. Then its almost an abrupt ending..

Sky is a young girl who knows weriod things are going on around her but just can't seem to figure out what it is. Then she gets an invitation to join the Committee at school. She learns all the changes she going through and things she can't explain are normal because she is turning into a vampire. She knows they aren't telling them everything and she has to know. Oliver is her BFF but she later finds out he persude her friendship because he is conduit. He is suppose to take care of her whatever she needs, but she wonders where his job ends and their friendship begins. Mimi of course is the rich, stuck up girl who is mean to almost everyone. Jack is her twin brother. Jack is of course hot and suppose to be this strong, young vampire but Mimi basically controls him. Of course its because they have this weriod blood bond thing almost like they have with humans they feed from, except their blood bond is due to being twins. In past lives instead of brother and sister apparently they were lovers.

It was enough to keep me interested and I will read the next book! Have to see what comes next.

Genre: Paranormal (Urban Fantasy) YA

Thoughts:

Blue Bloods is a book I have been putting off for years. All of the misleading reviews had put me on edge for this series. Especially the ones that state how bad the incest is. It didn't help that the book description makes this sound like an average tale of the rich elite vampires of New York City.

What I found in the pages of Blue Bloods is a completely DIFFERENT TAKE ON VAMPIRES. Noticed all that capitalization did you? The Blue Bloods literally get blue blood when they hit a certain age, where their vampire natures come out. Fangs and a hunger for blood are not the only thing these adolescents get, memories of their past lives start to flash before them. Imagine being connected to a soul mate through each reincarnation. You might have married someone only to have them as your brother in the next life. It's quite believable that these creatures--who can pull up memories of past lives--are the rich entitled; the power source of fashion, media, and anything big out there in the world. For more icing on the cake, the Blue Bloods are also connected to Angles, which I will let you discover all about.

Unlike other readers, I thought Blue Bloods plunges right in to the story. Reviews that claim it was boring until the end leave me wondering how it was boring. The author reveals the world of the Blue Bloods at a nice pace, and the action starts immediately. There is a lot of stuff that is crammed at the end of the book, but I found the rest of the book moving at a nice tempo.

The point of view jumps quite a bit, and a couple of times I wondered how many more characters were going to be introduced to take over the point of view. Even after getting a bit over whelmed by the constant change of view, each character's take added to the world. There's plenty of characters to fall in love with, plenty of fodder for future drama, and of course those beloved characters that we love to hate.

The writing style isn't exactly the stuff of eloquence. It had a slight feel of the writing style from the House of Night books, nothing quite to the degree of that series thank goodness. Clearly the writing could do with some improvement, but there's plenty of time for it to grow on readers.

Bottom Line: Blue Bloods is a completely DIFFERENT TAKE ON VAMPIRES. There's room for improvement for the writing, but I can't say a reader could be bored from the pacing of Blue Bloods. The drama starts up pretty much right at the beginning and only intensifies as the book continues. The cliffhanger ending might be a sour point for readers, but after a certain point readers should be used to them by now. For those who need to have love stories there are quite a few happening here. The main love story had me all riled up and one of the side love stories had me misty eyed at one point.

Sexual Content:

There is an almost sex scene that was pretty graphic for YA. It's what I would expect to find in a mellow Adult Urban Fantasy read. Kissing, sex talk and jokes. (Not even going to bother addressing the incest, it's clearly explained and I can't fault it as truly being incest. In all honesty it wasn't even the main focus of this read, more like a side note.)

4/5 Great! Really enjoyed it.

My Thoughts: So, I have heard really great things about The Blue Blood series. So great in fact, I decided I would read them.

We are introduced to Schuyler Van Alen who goes to an expensive private school in New York City. The schools name is Duschesne. There she attends school with her best friend Oliver. Oliver is her only real friend and they have been best friends since they were kids.

Another student at her school is murdered, Aggie and nobody really understands why or how it happened. But in the back of Schuyler's mind, she suspects the worst and starts to ask questions. Another boy; Jack Force starts to take an interest in her. He's popular. You know the kind, popular, rich, hot, and all the girls notice him. Yes, one of those boys.

As the story progresses Schuyler learns more about Aggie's death and herself, and who she really is. I also really enjoyed Oliver's character, I think he was my favorite.

I did like where the story ended. We understand why Schuyler has started to get abilities, why her veins are changing, and why her relationship with Oliver is a bit strange.

I'll be honest the first half of this book dragged for me. I was confused at times. There is so much world building and at times I became frustrated. And every other paragraph it jumped between characters and at first it was hard to keep them straight. Who was whom and whom was related to whom. This reminds me of Gossip Girl (rich kids) but with vampires. It had me very confused at times.

Blue Bloods was an interesting take on vampires, I will read the second book and see where it goes. I enjoy all the secondary characters throughout the novel as well. I want to know more about their stories.

Overall: Like I said up above, it was confusing at times. I think now that I know more about each character I think I will enjoy the second book more or at least I hope so. If you start reading and start to feel frustrated, just keep reading on. It does get easier and smoother to read as the book goes. I think this rates more of a 3.5 or at least until we get to the middle. By the end of the book, it was way better than the first half. I hope that the other books suck me into the story more. I really want to enjoy this series.

Cover: Like it! Like the bite marks and necklace. Very artistic.

What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
_________________________________
Review Based On Softcover Edition

Taken From Princess Bookie (blog)

So, is this just another vampire book? Honestly, I'm still asking myself that question. I'm having a hard time having perspective with this book, accepting that it was published before the obnoxious vampire craze. (It was published a year after the first Twilight book.) But having the priviledge of hindsight left me wishing for something new and fresh many times. That being said, I still enjoyed Blue Bloods, if I did find it lacking sometimes.

First, I had a hard time becoming emotionally invested in any of the characters. The book is pretty short, and there is a lot of head hopping. The story is also told in third person omniscient *gasp*, so there's really no mystery as to who likes who and what people are feeling. Then there's Melissa's writing style, which isn't that great. She tells the entire story, and I found myself cringing a few times.

I also hate the cover. It's kind of atrocious. But the other covers for this series are much better, so that's a positive, right?

Okay, so now you're wondering why I even gave this book 3 stars. Well, because I did enjoy it. It was a fast-paced read, and the storyline was pretty interesting. I enjoyed the history and getting a peek into the NYC socialite scene. But there was one thing I loved about this book, and that was the fashion. Melissa is obviously well-versed in the hipper side of New York, and she knows her designers. I really loved how she described the socialite culture in a way that had me wishing I could be a part of it and mocking the materialism all at the same time. It was genius! But after reading her biography and discovering her job history, I'm not surprised. This woman seriously knows her fashion. Can she be my personal shopper please? kthanxbye

In regards to romance, there isn't much to say. Sure, there is a little bit. But it's pretty superficial. The weird incest-esque relationships of the Blue Bloods is sort of creepy, and I never understood what Schuyler saw in Jack. The only character I was rooting for was Bliss, and that was just because I could see her character motivation the easiest.

I'm still looking forward to reading the rest of this series and hoping that as I get to know the characters better, I will like the story better. But fans of Gossip Girl should love this - it's all the Blaire/Serena/Chuck/Dan/Nate/Jenny drama, but with vampires.

After reading Melissa De La Cruz's "Witches of East End," I finally decided it was time to read her Blue Bloods series. While the mythology about the origin of vampires (now that's a creative idea!) is interesting, the story structure--and label plugs--were off-putting. Other reviews have summed up the storyline, so I'll talk about some things I noticed.

Chapters skip from different characters (much like in "Witches"), almost like an introduction to each one. We hear about Schuyler Van Alen, outcast as her prestigious school, who yearns for popular guy Jack Force. She must deal with Jack's beautiful, egocentric, mean girl Mimi. Meanwhile, there's Schuyler's devoted friend Oliver and mysterious new girl Bliss. I thought this form of story telling was a very scatter brained narration and I kept forgetting details about each person in the first chapters, so there's quite a bit of "telling". Strange things occur and no one is phased in the least. Why not? Also, we don't even get to learn about the vampires until the middle of the book. After a while, I got used to the narration and found it added to the intrigue. There's an addictive quality I found in the book which kept me reading.

Since it's a book about upscale characters, labels are dropped in every single page. So and so is wearing a Chanel suit with Jimmy Choo pumps, etc. I get it, these vampires are rich and elegant, but do we need to constantly be told what designer they are wearing? How is this relevant to their development as a character?

There were a few typos and grammatical errors which could not be ignored, and yet they glared off the page. But even though this may read like a fashion catalog with some summation of past events and fill ins for characters, I found this series to be enjoyable and am now finishing it until the new release.

NOTE: This book has sexual situations.

Vampire Diaries meets Gossip Girl

I thought I'd give this Vampire Series a try and see if it was any good. And for the first in the series it was pretty entertaining. I read it in about a day and half. It kept my interest and kept me wanting to read on. Although I must warn you: its not really about Vampires. I mean not the typical comes-out-at-night/burned-by-the-sun/stake-through-the-heart Vampire type. The Vampires were really just immortals who kept being re-born over and over. It was an interesting twist. I enjoyed it. But the author should have called them something else. Immortals. I dunno. I guess "vampire" sells more these days.

Anyway. Let me tell you what I liked and disliked:
LIKES: Schuyler. Jack. Oliver. The characters were really great. The suspense. Right pacing for it. Never too boring. The mystery and how it all came (somewhat) together at the end.
DISLIKES: It was written in 3rd person omniscient (I think that's what its called). Schuyler is one of three main characters. There is also Bliss. And Mimi. Bliss was alright. Mimi was just plain annoying. I kept longing to read only the chapters from Schuyler. And because it jumped between the 3 some of Schuyler's scenes were skimmed/ retold by another and I just wanted to see more of her.

All in all--a good read. I will be getting Book 2 in the Blood Blue Series.

Amongst the New York elite and socialites, Schuylar Van Allen just doesn't fit in, nor does she want to. Even though there's no real reason why she doesn't. Afterall, she comes from a highly respected and well to do family, the Van Allen's - a family who, at one time or another, owned most of Manhattan Island. So what's standing in her way? Maybe the lack of highly priced designer threads, she prefers thrift store finds. Maybe it's not being surrounded by a group of people just because they make you look good, she prefers true friendship, the kind she has with Oliver.

Things suddenly start to change when Jack Force, the most popular guy around, starts flirting with her outside of a club. Jack Force has never even glanced in her general direction, let alone actually spoken to her. But from this point, a series of events moves Schuyler from the nobody list to the quasi-somebody list, and it all starts with an innocent invitation to The Committee's next meeting. Contrary to what Schuylar thinks, the Committee isn't just a group of New York's upper crust looking to take the world. They're Blue Bloods - age-old vampires who have, not only taken over all of Manhattan, but are one a mission to keep who, or rather, what they are under wraps.

That means ... Schuyler Van Allen is a blue blood (literally, at the age of fifteen or so Blue Bloods show the first outward signs of who they really are creatures that have actual blue blood pulsing through their bodies), and someone or something is hunting her. After being attacked by some creature, another Blue Blood she supposes, Schuyler finally believes in what she is. And seeks to find the truth of who she, the Blue Bloods, and this creature really is. With the help of Oliver, new-found friend Bliss, and quite possibly the irresistibly good-looking Jack Force, maybe she'll be the one to save the Blue Blood nation ... or maybe she won't.

Blue Bloods is the first novel in a series of (soon to be) eight titles (the latest of which will be available in late 2011) written by once fashion writer, Melissa de la Cruz. Cruz has spun a one-of-a-kind story line featuring a widely (almost overly) used theme: vampires. In a world where every (human) girl longs for her undead prince charming, de la Cruz shies away from the typical vampire stereotypes and veers into a territory she has charted for herself.

Set against an elite New York City backdrop, Blue Bloods is an atmospheric book where readers will gain a sense of, not only these brand new breeds of sleek and sultry vampires, but also the high society scene we readers may not be accustomed to. At first read, readers may not realize just how crucial these high society bits are to Blue Bloods. The characters created aren't just vampires, they are in the truest definition of the term, blue bloods, the elite of the elite, New York's aristocrats if you will. de la Cruz does a great job at making sure this point gets through.

What really makes this book stand out from all the other vampire books on the shelves is, not only the unique plot, but also the cast of characters. Each one has been created to play a part in a larger story. It seems that no character is more or less important than the other. The characters, especially Schuyler, is well-developed and relatable on a lot of levels. They are real, even characters like Mimi who is the powerful it girl, the girl everyone fears and loves at the same time.

Background: Blue Bloods are a secret, they do not exist...or do they? Schuyler Van Alen is a teenage loner, often the outcast of her peers. Suddenly, herself and some of her classmates are invited to join a very prestigious club and around this time begin learning about their heritage. The Blue Bloods are a very important part of society and have been such since Plymouth. The book follows Schuyler, Mimi Force, and Bliss as they realize they are changing, and they are not sure if it is in a good way.

Review: This book was interesting. It is kinda two books in one, a history of Plymouth and Roanoke and then also a rich teen vampire drama...not sure if drama is the right word, there really isn't too much suspense.
The book follows a few rich teens in New York, which I found interesting because it seems Schuyler is the main character. The plot begins with everyday things for (rich) teens, like clothing and cliques and then progresses into the history and Blue Blood lineage.
And I keep saying rich for a reason, de la Cruz uses most of her writing to explain the lavish houses, clothes, and lifestyles of these wealthy teens and their powerful families.
I didn't mind the over the top explanations of their wealth as much as that there should have been more plot instead... I look forward to continuing the storyline though, to see if this gets alleviated or whether their wealth is always at the forefront.

Strange things are happening a New York private school. There is Schuyler and her best friend Oliver. They are not part of the cool group but something is happening between Schuyler and Jack Force. Jack Force and his twin Mimi Force are the cool kids. They know parts of the secrets going on at the school but mostly focus on themselves then helping others. Then there is Bliss the new girl who finds herself stuck in the middle of two groups trying to solve murders of the mysterious and paranormal Blue Bloods.

I read the two spins off of this series so I know a little of the background. The way Melissa De La Cruz writes just captures you. It a story about vampires tied to Angels tied to Lucifer. It takes the fight between heaven and hell to a new level.

I feel like this is a good start to the series but I think the writing of the spin offs is better. So I think with time Cruz just got better at developing the stories. Not that this was bad or anything it just felt different then the spin offs (Witches of East End, and Wolf Pack)

Definitely a must read if you love vampire or fantasy young adult.

When settlers came over on the Mayflower in 1620 not all of them were human. Now as these vampires assimilated into the new world around them they were able to gain positions of power and influence over the society. This is the secret of the Blue Bloods and they do not want anyone else knowing it.

Schuyler Van Alen is not a typical New York City private school girl; she does not fit in with the prissy `popular' people around her. But as she turns fifteen though things start to change and not in a good way.

My Review:
The idea behind the book of reincarnating vampires who then have to remember their past lives is interesting. Unfortunately for me I do not think the author was able to pull it off to its full potential. All of the characters are spoiled and snobby making them difficult to like and relate to. Even the main character, Schuyler, being an outcast ends up conforming to those around her. She started off with this independent, almost relatable nature yet once loses that and submits to the pressure of the other kids. At least there is some mystery about who the killer is to keep the plot moving which starts to unfold at the end.

I really don't agree with the other reviewer that says the writing is horrible. C'mon. This is teen drama, not Bram Stoker. And for EVERYONE'S information, the writing skill of the author is VASTLY better than Stephenie Meyer. The plot development is better, the character development is better, the editing, etc. So I hope that gives you all a comparison.
Read it for yourself and you be the judge. If you can read the Twilight series and forgive the author for everything that is wrong with that series, you can more than do so with Blue Bloods.
I really, really enjoyed this author's twist on vampires. It is a terribly original and creative interpretation of the vampire myth that I devoured gratefully. I enjoyed Twilight for the same reason but have to say I hate (no, hate is not a powerful enough word...despise? loathe?) Meyer's characters in the Twilight series. Also, the story flows for the most part and always had me guessing what would happen next. Oh, yes...while I was not impressed one way or another with reading about the New York elite, powerful and wealthy, I am grateful that the author did not even hint at a political opinion.
Let me tell you what I didn't like about it. I could give a flying (fill in the blank) what the character's were wearing. The flow of the text was interrupted, I felt, with lengthy descriptions of designer fashions. Not as much attention was paid to the description of New York and the surroundings of the characters. Now, a good author can use few words and paint a picture well enough for you to use your imagination and fill in the rest, and this author is able to achieve that feat well enough. I just wish she had done that with the characters clothes as well as their setting.
Now before anyone decides to get all fanatical about their precious Twilight Series and criticize me for my decent, allow me to remind you that I am allowed to have an opinion too.

Schuyler Van Alen, age 15, has always been the outcast at her upscale private school. She thinks of herself as just a normal teenager, living a normal life, and who doesn't seem to fit in, nor does she try to fit in. Oliver Hazard-Perry is Schuyler's best friend, and when a student at their school turns up dead, the two friends start to investigate.

Suddenly Schuyler learns she is a member of an elite "family" of vampires, The Blue Bloods. The Blue Bloods came to America on The Mayflower trying to escape the one thing that can kill them, the Silver Bloods. For centuries they've lived in peace, but now the danger is back.

This book is full of "Paris Hilton-like" characters - Mimi and Jack Force, the top dog socialites, and Mimi's BFF Bliss Llewellyn, who is a newcomer from Texas. This story has a "Gossip Girl" type appeal, and although I didn't much care for the obsession with fashion, but it was essential to show the different sides of these characters. I instantaneously hated Mimi, but I fell in love with Schuyler. She is very likable, cute, smart, and street smart. I look forward to seeing her character grow, and I look forward to more interactions between her and Oliver.

I realize that most "vampire" books are compared with Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight", but this book has a different take on the vampire theme. I enjoyed the story and it managed to keep my interest throughout. This book is similar to creative non-fiction, because the author inserts real historical events - like the disappearance of the original Roanoke colony - which make it an intriguing story. Consumption killed most of the original Roanoke colony and there was once a period in history where people actually did equate consumption with vampirism.

This is the first book in the Blue Blood series. The next books are: Masquerade, Revelations and The Van Alen Legacy.

After having read the Twilight series I am sure that many readers wanted to experience more of the same. I sure did. I found that in the Bluebood Series. I know that alot of the reviews are pretty bad because they say that this series is mostly about name dropping and the glamour and glitz of the truly rich but you gotta give this series a chance. This is a unique twist on the vampire lore. Also unlike most sequels, this first book is ok but as you continue to read the series in Book 2 and 3 the story gets so much more interesting. I read the 3 books in less than 3 days and I might buy the 4th book in hardcover (I always buy paperbacks or wait for it to come out) because I am dying to see how the story continues.

Update as of 3/25/16
This is my second time reading this series. I DO NOT like reading a book more than once but there are a few that I have because they are so good. This is one of them. I read it again because it is a fast, fun read and because I am finishing off the series. I waited until the whole set was out in paperback so reading the series again made me appreciate how good this book is. Many want to compare it to the Twilight series (Loved it) and Gossip Girls (Loved it) but many don't give the author credit for these vampires. I think it is awesome how the author tied in the Blue Bloods not to Transylvania or the Volturri (for Twilight fans-lol) but to the Bible specifically fallen angels and Lucifer. Not only did she structure their history to fallen angels but she also includes diary entries and journal entries on how they came to the US to escape danger only to realize that they can't get away. I am upgrading my rating from 4 to 5 for originality. Also, I liked how she integrated the Blue Bloods to the rich and famous. I enjoyed the name dropping because that is as close as I will ever get to a "blue blood". LOL.

For students of the uber elite New York City private school known as Duchesne, wealth and beauty aren't the only things that determine social status. Quite literally, the color of one's blood determines what secrets one can and can't be privy to or which social circles a student will associate with. That is because much of Duchesne's student body consists of Blue Bloods--vampires! For centuries the Blue Bloods have been invincible but when a young Duchesne student is murdered under mysterious circumstances rumors of an ancient evil that preys on their kind begin to surface.

Schuyler Van Alen was always an outsider at Duchesne. Content to wear her layers of black and vintage, hang with her best friend Oliver and visit her comatose mother in the hospital on Sundays, the last thing Schuyler expects is to learn that she's a vampire. Sucked into the world of the Blue Bloods she must uncover their most dangerous secrets if she is to protect herself from the enemy hunting her peers down.

The premise for this series is so complex and well written that it's really hard to summarize it without giving away anything important. Many of the reviews I read before choosing this book complained that half the book has gone by before vampires are ever mentioned. I have to say I disagree with this being a bad thing. If you pay careful attention there are very subtle hints at the vampire side of things which I found only tantalized me building up the excitement for when the 'big reveal' moment came.

The historical inspiration used for this series really added to the elegance and richness of the world creation. The concept of vampires being some of the earliest American settlers is sure to please and interest any young adult readers who love history class. But the series also has the designer label mentions and rich, high society nods that are so popular with teen readers right now and fortunately they aren't so overpoweringly constant that they date the series.

My one complaint about this book was that Schuyler is presented as the protagonist but Bliss Llewellyn for me felt like she could almost have been switched with her. Both characters are very likable and relatable in different ways. Surprisingly I found most of the Duchesne students to be likable, interesting and pretty mature (in a good way) without being overly raunchy and adult. I am definitely hooked on the series after just this one book!

Overall I don't think this is one for a reluctant reader and while I would use discretion with choosing what age of teen reader to give it to I felt it was a nearly perfect example of young adult vampire fiction. Enjoy!

BLUE BLOODS
MELISSA DE LA CRUZ
YA Vampire paranormal

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Bliss Llewellyn is the new girl at New York's Duchesne prep school. It doesn't take long for her to realize where the cliques are. Mimi Force is definitely the big girl on campus, rich, powerful, and has a hot twin brother, Jack, that seems to be matching her social status. Schuyler Van Alen is the complete opposite of Mimi, she runs with only two friends Dylan and Oliver, she dresses quite frumpy, and her family is from less money than is the standard. Duchesne has an elite group of students that are the committee. Only the "blue bloods" can get in. Those seem to be the high class uppity kids. Imagine Bliss's shock when she is invited to the club as well as Schuyler. What neither girl realized that the term blue bloods was quite literal as they are all vampires.

BLUE BLOODS is the story of three girls coming into their vampire puberty. Each vampire lives a life cycle over and over, and when the teenagers hit the age of 15 their bodies start to recognize their past lives. They also start to crave blood. This cycle happens to each of the blue bloods, named after their blue blood, except for Schuyler Van Alen. She is the last of her line but she is not a true blue blood. She is a half blood. Her mother is a blue blood but her father is known as a red blood, or a human. Schuyler has no past lives to recognize as she is a new spirit. But Schuyler is on a much deeper quest. She is trying to find out who keeps killing young blue bloods. Each death is surrounded by mysterious circumstances and all seem to point to the mythical Croatan as the killer. But The Croatan is just a myth right?

This was the first book in Melissa De La Cruz's Blue Blood's series. I was hooked from the first page. I could not believe this book was sitting in my TBR for so long. Blue Bloods is not the typical YA vampire paranormal. So many of these stories are the same old cookie cutter scenario but Blue Bloods had me on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what was going on. There were so many twists and turns there was no way I could have predicted what was going to happen. I highly recommend BLUE BLOODS to anyone who wants a fun, fast, and action packed story!

Melissa De La Cruz is the author of the Ashleys series, the Au Pairs series and now the new Blue Bloods series. To find out more about her and her books please visit her website at [...]

Jennifer
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
January 2009

MY REVIEW:
After seeing this book weeks and weeks put together, I finally dragged my butt to the library and checked this out. It had been haunting me for ages, daring me to read it. So, I'm in science class, five minutes till the bell, and I have some time to kill. Before I know it, I have the cover open, and my fingers are gripping the page. Hard. The five minutes fly by like nobody's business. And I'm on page sixty. Unbelievable right? Melissa De La Cruz illustrates an alluring Manhattan night life, writing from third person, which I think makes the story even more likeable. It somehow fits this book perfectly, and reading it gave me endless minutes of entertainment. It was like reading a really good reality show. Not only that, but the elite were vampires. Keep in mind- I judge vampire/creatures of the night book very seriously, because as we all know, most of them aren't even worth our time. Twilight and Evernight were it for me. So I was a little skeptical, but De La Cruz makes being a vampire elegant. Sounds strange, right? But somehow even when the elite of Manhattan attack a raw hamburger it's elegant.
Schuyler. I admire her fashion sense, her house, and her ability to be chic and not even know it. Oliver, Mimi, Bliss...the characters are all interesting, with great backstories. Reading about them, being in their world, was great, and I was finished with this book all too soon. I actually wanted to read the rest of the series, and I did.
RATING: RECOMMENDED
Altogether, Mellissa De La Cruz caught my attention, and turned me on to her other works. I have my eye on her works now.

Find more of my review at: [...]

Blue Bloods starts out with Schulyer Van Alen, a teenage girl at a ridiculously rich school in New York. Schulyer's father died before she was born and her mother has been in a coma since just a few weeks after she was born leaving her stately (and slightly intimidating) grandmother to raise her. Schulyer's only real friend is Oliver and they feel like the Outcasts of Duchesne High School.

As the story progresses we see many other characters from their own point of view. We see Jack & Mimi Force, twins and Blue Bloods. We get some of their previous life memories, their personalities and quirks etc. Many of the chapters start with diary entries that date back to the days of Plymouth and Roanoke Island. Little by little we learn that Schulyer and many of the other students at Duchesne are vampires, "Blue Bloods," for the way their veins pattern through their skin and the glow of their blood when the lights are out. We find out that the Blue Bloods are fallen angels trying to get back into heaven through the guidance of the two archangels that voluntarily became vampires to help them find their way back (Gabrielle & Michael). We also learn that nothing can kill the Blue Bloods, except another Blue Blood by drinking them completely dry. Those vampires that suck the blood of others are true devils and go crazy with the additional memories of the one they sucked dry. They are called Silver Bloods for the way the additional blood shows in their veins and the silver slits of their eyes.

Finally, near the end we learn that Schulyer is not one of the vampires that has been around for forever (one of the Four Hundred). Her mother (the angel Gabrielle, or Gabriel) had a child by a Red Blood, a human, and so Schulyer is a new soul. There is also a prophecy that said the child of Gabrielle would save the Blue Bloods. As of yet we don't know if she will be instrumental in saving them from the Silver Bloods or getting them back into heaven or maybe both. We do know that Schulyer is unusually gifted in that she can sometimes control the minds of humans and has a bloodhound as an angel protector.

The book is a little bit confusing because the information changes very fast sometimes. At one point Jack and Schulyer are dancing at one of the highschool formal dances and they share a memory which is confusing since as a new soul, Schulyer should not HAVE memories. Jack waves it off later as he was projecting his memory onto her but I don't think that is necessarily the case.

It was very obvious from the beginning that this book would only be the first of several since it seemed to take a long time for the action to get started. I started to get near the end of the pages with no end to the action in sight. As with many other books that are serial, I think I'm going to have to wait until I've read the second or third book to decide whether the series as a whole is worth it.

This series features absurdly wealthy teens in upper-class Manhattan, whose vampiric heritage is passed down from generation to generation. These vampires do sport fangs and occasionally drink blood, and they are "immortal" in the sense that they are frequently incarnated, but other than that they don't share very many vampiric foibles such as problems with sunlight, crosses or garlic.

Celebrity name-dropping and name-brand conciousness figures heavily here, as the students of exclusive prep school Duchesne: outsider Schuyler Van Alen, popular twins Jack and Mimi Force and Texan newcomer Bliss Llewellyn, gradually come to realize their true natures. The teen years are when new vampires are at their most fragile, and some uber-vamps known as "Silver Bloods" are hunting them.

It gets a bit confusing at the end, with the revelation that the teens have been reincarnated over many centuries, with significant ties to the Roanoke Colony and Ancient Egypt. Some of the vampires are descended from arcangels, and many of them are in incestuous relationships. Jack and Mimi apparently were an item in past lives, something Mimi would very much like to resume. Jack is interested in Schuyler, who might or might not be his former wife, his mother and simultaneously his aunt. See? Confusing. Lots of suspense... is Charles Force, the twins father, a villain, or just a grouchy patrician? Is teen dreamboat Dylan human or vampire? Is Dylan innocent or is he the one responsible for Blue Blood murders, or is he just a pawn? The book reads a lot like Gossip Girls, and why shouldn't it, as the author is also responsible for the popular "Au Pairs" series. This is a light, fluffy, quick read, promising a series worth returning to.

Pros:

* Schuyler Van Alen is very likable. She's cute, smart, and not naive. She is blossoming and I'm looking forward to seeing her grow.
* Oliver, Schuyler's best friend, is a cutie!
* Vampires! Yup, the Blue Bloods are vampires. Truly unique vampires too.
* History element. I love the references to history. It makes it very believable.
* Mystery. Something's not right about how one of the students dies.
* Scanned documents. There are clippings from the journal of a Blue Blood throughout the book, which makes them look like they are scanned pages. I thought that was a very cool effect. The font of the book, at least the first letter of each new chapter was also interesting. It is written like it is fresh ink. Neat.

Cons:

* Way too much fashion jargon. I really didn't care what brand of clothing they were wearing. Goodness gracious but does she tell us! I've been warned that this does stop, so I'm looking forward to more substance in the plot and other details than what the characters are wearing.
* There's no conclusion, hence the sequel, but I found it disappointing that we don't find out exactly who's responsible for the death.
* Mimi. I hate her. She's super annoying and such a bitch to everyone, including her likable twin brother Jack, who is hot and interesting.
* NYC. I don't know my way around NYC but this author sure does. She references turns and addresses but they meant nothing to me. It would have been nice if there was a map of the area she references in the front of this book. Or in the back.

Most people think of blue bloods as the old elite families...but they are more than that. They are an anceint race of Vampires that have been living for generations peacefully among the Red Bloods, or humans. But recently something has begun to kill the young off before they come into their powers. They face the choice of ignoring this threat and hoping it will go away or confronting it once and for all.

Schuyler Van Allen is vampire, a Blue Blood. These vampires are not your traditional vampires. They are nearly invincible...sunlight, stakes, silver...all seem to be myths. So when Schulyer and her friends find that something is out there that is able to kill them off, they set off on a hunt to find what it is. This hunt for answers leads to more questions than they started with.

The teenagers, Schulyer and her Blue Blood schoolmates, are fascinating characters that cover the entire specrum of personalites. There are some you love, some you hate, and some you won't be able to make your mind up about. They are dynamic and adjust their life perspectives as situations change. The story was portrayed wonderfully, revealing enough to keep you reading without giving away the critical information to figure out who the killer is. I'm starting book two later today.

There were some typos and a few times the story jumped in a awkward way as if the author wasn't sure how to segway into the next section. I'm hoping her skills become a bit more polished as she continues with the series.

3/5

This was another slow read, the book finally took of when Schuyler finds out the truth about her heritage (which is somewhere in the second half of the book). The first half of the book was not really exciting not much happend which made it hard to pull through.

The second half of the book is were it got interesting, the whole new vampire world build in this book is a refreshing change in the world of vampires we living. These is a whole new brand of vampires and I would love to read more about it in the second book.

I hope that the second book in the series, speeds up a bit and I hope that the characters are more developed. I am looking forward to the next book because I am curious about what it might bring.

Full bilingual review here: http://icequeensbookshelf.blogspot.nl/2013/12/review-blue-bloods-blue-bloods-1.html

It's the invasion of the vampires!

Recently, the world of the undead has been sweeping its way into young adult novels, making sure that the vampires are prominently featured. Melissa de la Cruz, author of the popular series THE AU PAIRS, makes sure that she adds her own twist on vampires in her new series, BLUE BLOODS.

Schuyler Van Alen believed that she was just a normal teenager, living a normal life, and just didn't seem to fit in. Attending a private school isn't the world that Schuyler wanted to enter, what with all of the high fashion when she would rather wear her "unfashionable" clothes. But she never thought she would enter the world of the vampires, either.

When she turns 15, Schuyler discovers some major changes in herself, like the veins in her arms that are distinctly blue. And the blue veins can only mean that she is part of the Blue Bloods, a group of vampires whose ancestors go as far back as the Mayflower. Being a Blue Blood isn't so bad, right?

Well, when a murder takes place and a popular guy starts to notice you, Schuyler knows that there is something strange going on, and it's up to her to crack all of the society's secrets and to keep herself out of danger while doing it.

Melissa de la Cruz does not disappoint with BLUE BLOODS. The world that Ms. de la Cruz has created is not only unique but also very intriguing. Fans of the vampire world will definitely want to add this to their collection, and will be looking forward to Masquerade: A Blue Bloods Novel, the next novel in the series.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

The only reason I'm writing this review is because of how extremely disappointed I was with this book. None of the characters were very interesting and none of them were very relatable (in fact, they're about as un-relatable as you can get). It was a very short book with a lot of randomly placed words that no one ever uses - it felt like the author picked a word, cracked open a dictionary, and replaced it with a bigger word just to sound smarter. The plot was extremely predictable (you would have to be brain dead to not figure out who the killer was several chapters before they finally told you the "shocking" truth). Honestly, the only reason I continued reading (and the only reason this received two stars instead of one) was because of the whole "croatan" mystery, which has always intrigued me, but even the answer to that mystery was a let down. Needless to say, I will not be reading anymore of these books. If you're desperately looking for a replacement after mourning the loss of the Twilight series, move along. This is not it.

In Blue Bloods, De La Cruz presents a unique view on vampires in that they are fallen angels that are vying for redemption and re-entrance into heaven. Vampires are not created by exchanging blood with humans; they are souls that take on new human shells and new lives. I really wanted to like the Blue Bloods series, but I felt that there was no character development. There is simply not much depth to the characters. Schuyler falls for Jack, but we don't know why other than that he is the most gorgeous guy in school. Mimi is a mean girl who loves Jack and there's not much more to her than that. Blair supposedly falls in love with Dylan, but she doesn't show any growth after she loses him. If De La Cruz had spent as much time developing her characters as she had in placing a designer label to every clothing item described in the book, the Blue Blood series would be better. I gave the series the benefit of the doubt and read Book 2 (Masquerade) hoping that it would improve. It didn't. I am not continuing on with the series. If you're looking for a good teen vampire series, try the House of Night series by P.C. Cast, the Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith, or the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer.

Schuyler Van Alen is an outcast in her school, Duchesne, along with her two best friends, Oliver and Dylan. They had never fit in, and were content with the way things were. But now things have changed. Jack Force, the heart-throb of the school, is suddenly paying attention to Schuyler. People are not who--what--they seem. Schuyler undergoes a life changing transformation that will mark her as special for the rest of her life. Can she juggle this all, and the realization that she, or anyone he knows, is no longer safe?

BLUE BLOODS, for me, was an amazing experience and a book worth reading. I was instantly captivated by Melissa De La Cruz's realistic characters and unique plot-line. Jack and Dylan were by far my favorite characters, and I'd really like to see the relationship between Schuyler and Jack progress. The more I read, the more I wanted, and I found that I flew through this novel in one sitting. Vampire fans will not be disappointed, although non-vampire fans will be in for a real treat! I recommend this book to anyone.

Enjoyed the sequel as well!

This is a different take on the vampire story than I've seen in a while, quite refreshing. I liked how, even though the "normal weapons" against them don't work, Melissa still makes them seem human and relateable. A lot of questions I had the beginning of the book were answered, and unexpectedly so, but more have presented themselves. Good thing this is only the first in the series! I do think there was a bit too many details in parts (lots of clothing and food that didn't need to be there), but I guess I can see why some of it was there. Just maybe not so much.

I absolutely LOVED this series!!! I reccomend it to anyone who loved Twilight or the Evernight series! This is my all-time 2nd fav book, the plots and twists in the whole series is sooo awesome... Melissa De la Cruz is my new 2nd fav author, too. Her other series that I'm eating up, "The Ashleys", sounds kind-of... oh, Idk, stupid. But it's really fun to read! I enjoy all the different twists and turns as well in this book. Melissa seems to have a habit of making kids act much older then their age (i.e. in 'the ashleys', she has 7th grade girls wearing 2 1/2 heels... it also seems Melissa has a habit of making her characters... rich and glamorous! lol!). Anyways, to get to the point, this series is absolutely AWESOME and I recommend to everyone who LOVES vampire books. It was a little hard to transition from Twilight to Blue Bloods, but I managed and I just LOVE the suspense in this book... I read the whole series in about... 3 or 4 days... I ate them up like candy! :D
Ok, so main thing: GREAT BOOK You'll LOVE IT!!!
~TTFN
[...]

BLUE BLOODS traces the history of some of New York's elite teens all the way back to the Mayflower. But their history isn't just about Plymouth Rock and maize. Their cultural depth and fabulous clothes aren't all that make these teens special. AU PAIRS author Melissa de la Cruz brings a twist to this tale of modern wealthy teens: they are also vampires.

Bliss moves from Texas to New York and can't figure out how to fit in. She wears white when others wear jeans to her famous school Duchesne. Mimi, the resident It Girl, takes a shine to her until Bliss starts falling for bad boy loner Dylan. And what's up with Mimi's extra close relationship with her twin Jack?

Schuyler Van Alen is also wondering about that, as Jack is a total hottie. Both girls are curious as to why they are craving red meat and spotting blue veins in their arms, until they get invited to a special Committee that shows them their vampire history. The fangs, the glowing skin, the need to feed --- it's all normal for the Blue Bloods.

They are just starting to deal with immortality and their new powers when ugly rumors about a teen from their class who supposedly died from a drug overdose emerge. She was a blue blood too --- so how did she die?

When Dylan is arrested and then disappears, the girls join forces with Schuyler's best friend Oliver to try to find clues in their history that would explain why vampires are targets now. But no one is talking. Jack, who shared some memorable kisses with Schuyler, decides to shut her out. Her mother, who has been in a coma all of Schuyler's life, starts getting a mysterious visitor. And her Grandmother isn't telling her what is going on now or what happened in their previous lives.

Secrets, intrigue and suspense --- it's all here in this first installment of Melissa de la Cruz's spine-tingling new series.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

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.

Nevertheless, this book is a page-turner and I am interested enough in the story to give the rest of the series a try.

okay, so this was the first vampire series that i read after i read Twilight. I didn't think that anything could ever even come close to twilight, but i was wrong. I have just finished "my bloody valentine" which is the last book released so far from the blue bloods, and i am so hooked on this story! Mellisa D.L C is such a wonderful author, but in this book, i did notice a lot of "set up" writing. Because of the setting of the story, she had to describe a lot of fashion, appearance of buildings/homes, schools, and i felt like i was reading a fashion magazine more then a fantasy/love story. But soon enough that passed, and i found it to be important as the story continued because she set up the mental pictures you need to picture the story right.

all in all, although this book is more introductions and fashion description, its a necessary book to "set you up" for the rest of the story.

Blue Bloods is set amongst the elitist of the elite. They are the wealthy private school teens of New York City, and their families arrived on the Mayflower. There are several main characters: Bliss, the new girl from Texas; Schuyler, the outcast from the oldest of families, and her best friend Oliver; and Mimi Force, the ultimate insider, and her twin brother Jack, who has developed a sudden interest in Schuyler. When one of their own is killed, Mimi and Jack are shocked, because they know what the other students don't.

All of these kids are vampires, and their kind of vampire can't be killed.

Unfortunately, this book borrows too heavily from the Gossip Girls playbook (books, not tv show): mention endless exclusive brands, introduce characters with little to no interior life, and tell tell tell the story. Instead of descriptions of an outfit, we are treated to a list of designers. Characters hate each other, or fall in love with each other, but we don't actually see it happen. 140 pages pass before anyone but Jack and Mimi learn about being vampires, but a major confrontation or action sequence takes less than a page. Blue Bloods is also filled with the kind of prevalent drinking and sexual behavior that seems edgy, but really isn't. There are also some random point-of-view shifts in the middle of a conversation that practically jump off the page.

I might have forgiven all of that if the story had been more interesting, but it wasn't. The first half of the book is set up, not of the vampire society, but of the facade that the kids are brought up believing. Not much happens in the second half either: they learn some facts that aren't true, they throw a party, they discover there's a threat.

I'm still going to read the second book in case the series radically improves, because I've seen some raves online, but I'll borrow instead of buying. As it is, this book was a real disappointment.

Certain high society NYC teenagers start noticing some strange changes - blue veins appear on their arms, they crave red meat, and they have strange flashbacks and memories. They are invited to a "Committee" where it is broken to them that they are in fact immortal vampires. They are also expected to do good works in this lifetime, such as supporting NYC museums, etc. This is because (as explained in an infodump that takes place most of the way through the the book) they are in fact fallen angels, trying to get God to forgive them. After 200 pages of "she entered the dance in a xxxx-brand backless gown" "will the popular boy talk to me today" and "oh god, I can't believe she's hanging out with him" type concerns, the sudden burst of rather heavy theology sits uneasily.

At the beginning of the book, several pairs of students from different social cliques at their school make some connections with each other on a night out clubbing. The next day they find out that their classmate was found dead, completely drained of her blood. While it's clear that the characters are in danger, there's a real lack of suspense because every time the characters are attacked by supernatural forces, it's described in such a basic manner that it doesn't feel like a real part of the story. The same problem applies to the supernatural elements, such as the canine guardians which appear out of nowhere (and seem like a plot afterthought) and the "magic door" entrance to a secret library which is hidden underground beneath a club, but which happens to have "75 foot high ceilings". Um, sure. The xxxx-brand dresses were actually brought to life in a much more vivid manner. Character development is limited to telling us what people were thinking, but more time is spent on what they were wearing.

This is a strange book with a weird combination of priorities. The wild shifts between frivolity and high melodrama made me laugh, but the tone was meant to be completely serious. There's a story mixed in here somewhere, but I'm not sure what to make of it.

15 year old Schuyler and her best friend Oliver have been a group of two since second grade. In fact, most of the students at Duchesne had known each other since elementary school, although it hasn't made them like each other any better and that is the way Schuyler alwasy thought it would be. But suddenly things have turned upside down for Schuyler. The cutest, most popular boy, Jack Force, is interested in her, strange blue veins are appearing along her arm and her aloof grandmother is paying personal attention to her. It is only when Schuyler is invited to a exclusive Committee meeting that she finds out what is going on. Now everything is changing and Schuyler learning things about herself, her school and her fellow classmates which are as terrifying as they are unbelievabley true.

Blue Bloods is a fast paced, intriguing vampire story. Melissa De La Cruz has re-written the settlement of the Plymouth Colony in a facinating way using both true history and her own imagination. In addition she has interwoven the backdrop of New York City intricately into her tale in such a way it is like reading your way through a map of the streets, upper scale stores, museums and studios of Manhatten. I enjoyed Blue Bloods and am looking forward to the next story which is hopefully coming up in the near future.