Hell Froze Over and its Ugly!

Melissa de la Cruz is no newcomer to the world of the magical and supernatural. In her new series with her husband, Michael Johnston, however, she brings a whole new level to the Heart of Dread series with the first book Frozen. In this new series, you will see every manner of supernatural or post-apocalyptic element. It could have been like a literary version of a clown car, but instead, de la Cruz and Johnston knocked it out of the park. 

Nat escaped. She got away, but now she must hide in plain sight. As a dealer in New Vegas, it is easy to blend right into the woodwork while still standing in a busy casino day after day. In a world covered with ice, everything will do almost anything for heat credits to stay alive. But Nat has more to hide. She wears lenses to cover her eyes and never reveals her Mark because people aren't comfortable around the Marked and their powers. But when a guy comes to her table and clearly tries to run a con, she takes advantage of the situation and snags the life-changing heat credits off the table he was trying to scam. Now she has the opportunity to use the map she "acquired" not long ago. This map could lead her to the Blue, a place untouched by the pollution and chemicals that surround them all in this disgusting, frozen world. Now all she needs is someone to get her there. 

Wes had his chance. He almost had those credits, but the dealer had him captivated and he lost his chance. When he looked back, the credits were gone. Now he had to go back to his hungry crew empty handed and face the angry kids he was responsible for. He is getting desperate, but when a big job comes through to take some girl into the poisoned, polluted ocean, he agrees to take the job. Now he just has to get his boat back. What he doesn't expect is to see the dealer in front of him ready for her ride. There is something mysterious about this girl, something dangerous, but he doesn't scare easily, and he doesn't have much of a choice. His crew needs to eat. So they all head off into the ocean full of Trashbergs and dead of any life filled with water that will kill you on a mission that seems impossible. In a world full of magical folks, however, nothing is impossible. 

This book easily could have been "too much," easily, but somehow, by the end, the myriad of different elements seemed to work quite well.  In the beginning I struggled a little to make sense of Cruz and Johnston's world, but once I understood where all the different pieces fit together, it was quite an enjoyable story. For instance, this is a world that suffered environmental catastrophe, is covered with polluted ice, has no means to support itself through agriculture, and survives off synthetic food. That is enough for one whole book on its own. Then you add the magical folk who came out of the ice as it took hold of the world. First people were suspicious of the Sylph or the Smallmen, but then they realized the benefits of using these magical people. Quickly, however, paranoia grabbed hold and they began to imprison or do away with anyone magical, including the Marked, people born with a Mark and a gift. Then you add this magical place that has somehow avoided the environmental disaster that took down the rest of the world. And there is more, but I don't want to give it all away. Clown car? Yeah. Clown car that eventually worked? Yep!

I did struggle with this book at first, because it is so hard to figure out where all the wildly different pieces fit together. After I got about  100 pages into the book, it started to all pull together and then I got hooked. I have to admit I read the Blue Bloods series and loved it at first, but by the end I wanted to scream "enough already!" and that was directly tied to the path de la Cruz took that led her so far away from the original premise of the book. She does tend to overcomplicate her plots and then they lose their way quickly (can't have a story about witches- gotta through some Norse Mythology in there!). It has always been her downfall for me. Perhaps this series will be more successful because the 1001 elements are already out there and won't muddy the story later on, but I fear she is going to think, "Book 2? We need something new... how about evil, murderous pagan gods! Book 3? Where do we go with this one... I've got it! Animals who can walk and talk. Book 4? The Knights Templar!" and before you know it, you've got one big ole hot mess like the Blue Bloods. So, my biggest hope for this series is she knows how to edit properly and doesn't get carried away with trying to make it "exciting" by stuffing in entire kitchen pantry. This is a decent adventure series for both young adults and high-skilled middle readers. If they can figure out the complex beginning, they will really enjoy the adventure at the end. But remember, Melissa and Michael! Less is More!

Approaching the Heavenly Gate

The vampires are really fallen angels, but they are divided amongst themselves. Some continue to side with Lucifer, but others need to stop the Dark Prince from waging war on heaven itself. In Melissa de la Cruz's final Blue Bloods novel, Gates of Paradise, the final battle is primed, but the risks are bigger than anyone imagined.

Schuyler has sacrificed everything to continue the work of her mother, the great angel Gabrielle, but nothing seems to have worked. Lucifer is still gaining power and the Silver Bloods have scared all the vampires into hiding. Schuyler and her best friend Oliver know they must protect the Gates of Paradise from the Dark Prince and his plans, but she doesn't even know how to find it. Mimi, on the other hand, has gotten over wanting to kill her heavenly twin for leaving her for Schuyler, but Mimi and Jack were called back to service by Lucifer. While they don't actually want to help the Dark Prince, they must convince him they are in his service in order to protect the ones they love; the problem is Lucifer is much smarter than even they, his trusted two, give him credit for.

Bliss is no longer a vampire, but she has folded into the Wolf Pack. With Fenrir and the other wolves at her side, she thinks they can give Lucifer a good fight to stop his corruption of heaven. The problem is she no longer has the powers as a new Red Blood that she once had as a Blue Blood. Just investigating the destruction of the Repository becomes dangerous, since she can't protect herself. But the true story lies with Michael and Gabrielle generations upon generations ago. How did they stray apart? What came between them? And what, ultimately, allowed Lucifer to get to this point?

My relationship with this series went up and down at times, but I actually really liked this conclusion. At a couple points in the novel, I was confused as to how everything was going to play out, but I was happy everything all eventually worked out in the end the way I wanted it to. Again, I liked the multiple stories carrying on simultaneously; it built the suspense and kept me going to find out what was going to happen next. Sometimes it got a little confusing, but I still liked the rotating perspective.

As for the series as a whole, I think this is a good series for middle readers who are just starting to branch out into YA books. It is a little juvenile at times, but the story matures with each installment. It always joke that it is "Twilight meets Gossip Girl", but it is certainly more than that. There is much more the the story behind the vampires, and the whole fallen angel angle makes this a unique story. I can't say I am totally sad to see this series end, because I was ready for it to conclude, but I did certainly enjoy it while it was going. 

An Unsuccessful Serpent's Kiss

Freya, Ingrid, and Joanna are more than just mother and daughters. In fact, they are more than just witches. In the lands that Melissa de la Cruz creates, nothing is ever as it seems. And as the lives of the Witches of East End continues in Serpent's Kiss, it is clear there is more going on than meets the eye.

Joanna is struggling to keep her home together while trying to deal with a budding relationship. Unfortunately, there is something mysterious going on in her house; everything is moved around and things start to go missing. When she finally realizes this may be the act of ghosts seeking her help with cheating death, she knows she must get to the bottom of the message the spirit has let her. The best resource, however, is her ex-husband, who is still pining for her.

Freya has found herself in the middle of her long-lost and recently returned brother and the man she loves and hopes she knows. When her brother Freddie escaped from limbo, he insisted he had been framed for ruining the sacred bridge. He also insisted Killian, Freya's boyfriend, was responsible for his being framed, but that information Freya isn't as anxious to believe. But Freddie insists on revenge, and as gods and goddesses, revenge becomes a much larger issue.

And poor Ingrid, the eternal innocent, has finally found a man she thinks she could open herself up to and love, but nothing seems to go right for her. First a group of pixies kidnap her and insist upon her help. Then she learns her new cop boyfriend doesn't believe in magic. And finally, when everything comes to a head, it looks to be like Ingrid is doomed to repeat the same old cycle she has lived for an eternity.

Together these three women are witches, they are Norse Goddesses, but most importantly, they are a mother and her daughters. Can they come together to solve their problems, or will their problems continue to drive them apart?

I am a little sad to say that I did not like this story as much as I liked the first one. I really liked the story of three witches in a sleepy Long Island beach town, but when the Norse Mythology was injected, it felt like de la Cruz was trying to stuff too much into the story so she didn't really have to focus on doing well with the original premise: the witches. I was sad to see these strange and convoluted story lines taking over this story and crowding out the most interesting part of the series- the three women. And frankly, the whole Freddie thing and this girl he was obsessed with that he met online was just plain silly and distracting. I am sad this series has taken such a wrong turn because I really liked the Blue Bloods series. Still, I will most likely read the last book to see how it ends... and hopefully that road is much more successful than this one was!

To Hell and Back

The second to last Blue Bloods story by Melissa de la Cruz, Lost in Time, is a story told in three parts: Jack and Schuyler, Mimi and Oliver, and Allegra and Ben. The stories intertwine and play off one another, but all three alternating story lines are leading to the final clash between the Blue Bloods and the evil Silver Bloods (pawns of Lucifer and creators of Nephilim) at which point one race may be eradicated for good.


Jack gave up everything to be with Schuyler. He abandoned Mimi, his bondmate, he and Schuyler are now on the run, and if Mimi catches him, he will face a blood trial for leaving her. They have traveled all over the world in search of the Gates of Paradise and the gatekeeper. They hope their efforts will save the Blue Bloods, and keep Jack out of Mimi's grasp, but they can't believe what they find. Human women are being snatched all around the world to breed Nephilim by the Silver Bloods as evil soldiers in Lucifer's fight against the heavens. And the covens aren't just in danger, they are being annihilated one by one.


Mimi wants to end Jack's life for leaving her, but she is heartbroken that Kingsley Martin, the man she loves, was swept into hell while trying to protect her. She and Oliver, Schuyler's former best friend, conduit, and familiar, rush to find a way to bring him back from the seventh layer of hell. Mimi knows she must barter  with a soul in order to pull Kingsley from Hell, and she plans to use Oliver for everything he is worth. What she doesn't expect is to find Kingsley fairly content as the Duke of Hell.


Allegra, Schuyler's mother, has awoken from her coma, and you finally see the events that put her in that very coma. In her attempts to stay away from Ben, Schuyler's human father, she finds herself drawn to him despite her visions of her in a coma and Ben lost. Allegra knows her choice is killing both her and Charles, the bondmate she abandoned, but she can't help but be drawn to the man she loves.


This was an interesting twist to the story, and I have to say I enjoyed the three separate parts of the story. Each chapter alternated between the three stories, and it was done well. I can imagine it is hard not to make it seem choppy or inconsistent, but de la Cruz did a good job with it. My only issue was how important everything was to the ultimate story. The only subplot of the three that really makes a huge difference in the entire series is Jack and Schuyler. Mimi spends a month in hell flirting with and being ignored by Kingsley. I wanted to tell her to grow up and get back up to the surface where her people needed her. And the Allegra story, while interesting background and relevant to what is happening between Jack and Schuyler, seemed more like filler than necessary plot advancement this late in the series. Overall, if you have stayed with the series this long, you will appreciate this book, but it wasn't enough to tide me over until January 2013 when the final book is going to be released. I know de la Cruz is plucking away at two more series' (Beauchamps and Wolf Pact), but I wish she would just shore this one up before moving on. It seems silly to make people wait almost 18 months between books while you work on other projects, but then again, I am sure her publishers had something to do with that decision (and who am I to judge- I guess they know their business). And so here I wait for book #7, very (im)patiently!

More Blue Bloods Filler

If you are really into the Blue Bloods series, I am sure you have wondered about the two companion books to the series: Bloody Valentine and Keys to the Repository. I was told Keys was unnecessary, and it really was- it was just filler to take the place of too much time between books. Bloody Valentine really was new material, but it might have been better as chapters within individual books than separated out into 3 short stories.

In the first story, we see Oliver pining away for Schuyler. Like most forgotten familiars, he is stuck with a love for her that she hasn't returned. But for Oliver, who grew up with Schuyler as his best friend, the loss is even more unbearable. He even considers going to a blood house to let another vampire feed from him to feel the blood ceremony once more. Luckily, a bartender (Freya from the Beauchamps series) notices what is going on with him and leads him to safety.

In the next story, we see how Allegra, Schuyler's mother, met her father. Even though she knew she was supposed to bond with Charles, her brother in this cycle, she can't bring herself to love him the way he loves her. Instead, she desperately wants a normal life, which seems to include Bendix, a Red Blood who makes her happy. Until, that is, she foresees his death and their half-blooded baby being born.

Finally, we get to see Schuyler and Jack's bonding. Against the very nature of pairs and bonding, these two Blue Bloods love each other and want to make it official before jack must return to face the woman he should have bonded with- Mimi- from which he might never return. Unfortuantely, the Venetors have found them and force Schuyler to trick Jack into wearing a ring that will harness all his power as the Angel of Destruction. Can they find a way to finish their bonding with half the world trying to kill them?

As I said, these were interesting stories, but they would have been better as chapters in previous books. Some things about the story were inconsistent with the regular series (like Schulyer's dad's name) which is confusing since they are by the same author (she really couldn't double check on that before publishing the book?). It made me a little annoyed, like perhaps Cruz is not just an author who loves her trade, but rather one who enjoys bilking her readers for all they've got. Especially when considering Keys to the Repository. Ugh. I hope that's not the case Ms. Cruz!

Witches, Potions, Spells and so Much More!

Melissa De La Cruz's new series was written as adult fiction, but it is a great way to get fans of the Blue Blood's series to start reading more advanced books. Witches of East End is the first book in the Beauchamp series. While it is a separate series from the Blue Bloods, a few of our friendly vampires and their human companions make an appearance in this story. I really like the connection to the former series, especially since you don't have to know about the Blue Bloods... you will just enjoy the connection if you have read the former series.

Joanna and her daughters, Ingrid and Freya, are witches. Unfortunately, they are restricted witches. After Salem, the Council has had them on restriction; now they not allowed to perform magic. Joanna is a conjurer, and she can bring people back from the dead. Ingrid can predict the future and her charms can help a variety of issues. Freya is a potion maker working as a bartender; her specialty is romance and relationships. They live in the sleepy town of North Hampton as average women, but their true nature lies right beneath the surface. Slowly they become more and more bold with their magic, tired of the Council's restrictions.

For a while, the magic works fine. The townsfolk know the Beauchamps are different, but they don't question how different until things start going wrong. When a young girl goes missing, Freya and her potions are blamed. When the mayor hangs himself with a knot eerily similar to one of Ingrid's charms, his wife blames Ingrid. And when a friend Joanna saved from the afterlife comes back strange and different, it is clear Joanna may have done something wrong in saving him. These instances combined with mysterious illnesses in town and a deadly substance poisoning the water just offshore make the people of North Hampton turn to the witches with fingers pointed. Now the women must get to the bottom of the mysterious evil that is haunting their sleepy home... before something like Salem happens again.

This was a really great new start for De La Cruz. The book was written for adult audiences, but it is written in much of the same language as the author's YA series. There are a few intimate scenes that some might be concerned about giving to a younger student, but there are only a couple, and they are relatively mild. For an adult book, they are completely tame, but it might be a tad more intimate than some would feel comfortable giving to a young adult. I would have no qualms about giving this book to anyone in upper high school. Besides the occasional intimate scene, the language and content is very approachable for a younger reader.

The beauty of this story is not only the fact that it can appeal to a wide range of readers, but its complex story telling. While it seems to be a simple story about witches, there is so much more tied into it. Norse mythology makes an appearance, along with Norse God Odin, his wife Frigg, and their sons, Balder and Loki. The connection is surprising, but done with style and grace. This story has a multiple levels that will keep the readers enticed and never bored. There is too much going on to put the book down! My favorite part is that all these worlds, the worlds of witches, Gods, vampires, and much more, all come together just outside our own world of realization. All this time, just under our noses, are these amazing, and sometimes scary, creatures and beings! This was an amazing start to a new series, and I can't wait for the next installment.

Things are Not Always as They Seem

When we last left the Blue Bloods, Schuyler had left Oliver, Jack had left Mimi, and Bliss had left altogether (after Lucifer inside her had failed to open the gate to hell under Jack and Mimi's bonding ceremony). Now the Coven is in complete disarray, Mimi plans to kill Jack as soon as she can find him, for refusing their bond, and Jack and Schuyler are trying to find the remaining Gates to Hell in order to secure them against the Silver Bloods.

Schuyler and Jack found themselves being hidden by the European Coven. At first, the safety was welcomed, but when it became clear they were being held against their will, they knew they had to get free. Unfortunately, they aren't just fleeing their captors, they are also fleeing the bounty hunters Mimi sent after Jack. When they are rescued by a strange Somali priest, it becomes clear there is much more going on in the world than they thought. When young girls begin disappearing from villages, there is more to the story than they are ready to hear.

While Mimi was still ready to kill Jack for his betrayal, she hadn't forgotten what was happening at home. In NYC, with Forsythe gone (for harboring Lucifer), the Coven was without a Regis (Coven leader). When they nominate Mimi for the job, she reluctantly accepts the new found power. Soon, though, the situation begins to deteriorate when a young Blue Blood is kidnapped and a video hits the internet. The video not only displays vampires showing off and exposing their powers, it also shows the kidnapped girl being threatened by hellfire- one thing that can kill the very essence of a vampire. Now she must find a way to save the teen (and soon another one) without putting the entire coven in danger.

Deming is a Venator who is known for her skills. She is known for her ability to solve problems for her Chinese Coven, and now she has been brought to New York to help find the missing girls. She infiltrates Duchesne and gets to know the top suspects in the investigation. What she finds out quickly, though, is the person she least expects is responsible for the kidnapping. Deming manages to uncover the same terrifying news Schuyler and Jack have stumbled upon: Lucifer has found a way to attack the Blue Bloods without them even knowing it was coming. Now they are all in danger, and what comes next we must wait to see.

As this series grows up, its readers do too. It went from "Gossip Girl" meets to "Twilight" to a truly dark tale. With the entrance of this new threat, the Nephilim, the story has a number of places to go. I am really interested to see where De La Cruz plans to go with this series. She has already developed a rich story line that has plenty of room to grow. The introduction of new characters definitely breathed a bit of life into the story as well. Deming and the story of her life spiced this story up. Now all I can wonder is what the Blue Bloods are going to do next!

Vampires can be Dark?

After the debacle in South America, Schuyler's grandfather was killed by Leviathan, Lucifer's brother, and Leviathan killed Lawrence. The conclave doesn't believe Leviathan killed Lawrence, so Schuyler and her best friend Oliver have to go on the run to escape punishment for a murder she didn't commit. Back home, the Conclave is in complete disarray, and Bliss is being overcome by the demon inside her- Lucifer. Mimi has joined Kingsley Martin and the other Venators trying to locate the Watcher (formerly hidden as Bliss's sister Jordan) to help them locate Lucifer. The Van Alan Legacy, by Melissa De La Cruz, is the darkest and most mature story in the series so far, and it will keep you wanting more.

Schuyler and Oliver barely stay in one place for longer than a day or two. After a year of hiding, they are worn out and seek the help of the European coven- the same coven that has been estranged from the New York coven for generations. In doing so, they are almost captured by
Leviathan. When Jack Force comes to their rescue, it brings up more than concerns about the Conclave wanting to punish them- it brings back all the feelings Schuyler has for Jack- feelings she can't have since he is to be bonded to Mimi.

Meanwhile, Bliss has lost a year of her life to Lucifer, who she acknowledges as The Visitor. Finally, after losing a full year, she learns to suppress the Visitor, and she can even control him or see through him when he is controlling her. It is this control that gives her an idea of what Lucifer has planned- using Schuyler to break open the gates of hell. Now the Blue Bloods teens must come together to stop Lucifer, but can they do it in time? Will the Conclave and the rest of the 400 finally believe them that Lucifer and the Silver Bloods are stronger than they thought?

This story is growing up with each installment, which I really like to see. I struggle with a series that stays at one level or meaning and understanding. It seems to keep the readers in a stationary spot for a while, especially students like mine who only read 2-3 books a year. Therefore, a series that grows with the reader is a big hit in my eyes- both for the reading ability and the maturation of the reader.

This story does get a lot darker than the rest of the series. The clothes, shoes, and designer handbags fall to the wayside as plots, plans, murders, and Lucifer himself take the foreground. In a way, I like this progression. This is the fourth book, so it wasn't sudden, but it wasn't too slow, either. My only problem with this series is that each installment ends on a cliffhanger. I am glad the first 5 books were out before I got into this series- I never could have waited a whole year to read the next book! Unfortunately, now I have to wait for #6!

A Former Life Reveals...

Now that a Silver Blood has been released in the safe Repository, the Conclave can't ignore the fact that the abominations that feed off the Blue Blood vampires are back and they are hunting. Bliss was almost killed and a member of the Conclave was killed. Now they must get to the bottom of the threat, even if it involves trusting Blue Bloods they aren't sure they can trust.

Nothing is as it seems in New York for the young Blue Bloods. Bliss is thrown for a loop when her missing boyfriend, presumed dead by Silver Blood, returns. But something is wrong with Dylan. Bliss and her friends suspect he has been corrupted, but they can't bring themselves to report him to the Conclave for fear of what could happen to him.

Schuyler has problems of her own. By taking her best friend and Conduit, Oliver, as her familiar, she has blurred the lines between friend and lover/light snack. When she starts seeing Jack Force for discreet (or so they think) make-out sessions, she feels torn between the two boys she loves, but in two very different ways. Add to that the fact that Jack is bound to Mimi Force and the breaking of a bond is exactly what put Schuyler's mother into a decades long coma, and you have quite a pickle on your hands.

But trouble with the Conclave makes the teenage drama pale in comparison. Schuyler's grandfather has gone to South America to investigate a possible Silver Blood uprising. When he doesn't return or get in contact with anyone, the entire Conclave, including Bliss, Schuyler, Mimi, Jack, and Oliver travel down to investigate. What they find in the city where Lucifer's second-in-command is imprisoned is a betrayal that goes to the very core of the mighty 400 Blue Bloods. Someone within the 400 has betrayed the group, but will they learn of the betrayal in time?

This was another great installment of a great series. Sometimes I feel like they end on too much of a cliff-hanger, but with the other books stacked on my nightstand, I can survive! If I had to wait a year for the next book, however, I might be a little more irritated. This book certainly upped the ante in terms of vampire politics and crazy plots and plans. The teen drama, high fashion, and crazy New York nights are still there, but the series has taken a deep dive into the dark and scary world of Fallen angels and creeper demons.

Can a Mask Hide a Vampire?

When we last left the Blue Bloods in Melissa De la Cruz's first book, the Blue Blood teens had determined that Silver Bloods (vampires who feed on other vampires for super power) were behind the recent rash of deaths. Unfortunately, they couldn't get anyone to listen to them. When Schuyler Van Allen's grandmother is attacked by a Silver Blood and almost destroyed completely (if you save enough blood the soul can reincarnate), she tells Schuyler to go to Venice and find her exiled grandfather. He was the only one who could help them.

Masquerade starts with Schuyler, new Blue Blood/ half blood, in Venice with her best friend and human Conduit, Oliver, (vampires use Conduits to help them in the human world) trying to find Lawrence Van Allen, Schuyler's grandfather. Just when they think they have failed, they locate him and warn him of the Silver Blood threat. Lawrence tells them he won't come back to New York, so Schuyler and Oliver return disappointed.

When they get back, though, they find the other Blue Bloods getting ready for the big 400 Ball- where all 400 Blue Bloods gather each year to induct the newest members. With preparations in full swing, Schuyler is still trying to get to the bottom of the Silver Bloods when her grandfather returns. He plans to help both his family and the rest of the Blue Bloods stay safe against these abominations. Unfortunately, something keeps happening to Schuyler's friend Bliss- she starts to black out and wake up in strange places, and her dreams have become monster filled nightmares. Even Schuyler can't seem to take to the vampire transition as she starts to get weak and pass out often. When her grandfather tells her to take a human familiar (someone the Blue Bloods feed off of, but never kill), she decides to use Oliver, further complicating their relationship.

When the 400 Ball kicks off, Schuyler shows up in her mother's gown, setting the guests at the party into an tizzy as she blows away even the most high-powered Mimi Force. When Mimi and her twin brother Jack are recognized as bonded angels, the Angel of Death and the Angel of Destruction, Schuyler learns they are a reincarnated pair that comes together every cycle out of love and devotion (although being born as siblings in this cycle complicates things in the human world). Now Schuyler's crush on Jack seems futile, but Jack hasn't stopped noticing Schuyler, much to Mimi's horror. When Mimi decides to protect her eternal love and bond, she decides to unleash an evil that will rock the Blue Bloods like nothing ever has before.

I read the first book of this series many months ago, and I got distracted by other books before reading the rest of the series. When I got an advanced copy of De la Cruz's new book (adult fiction) I started to read it and realized there are connections to the Blue Blood's series. So I decided to delve back into the series so I didn't miss anything in the new book. I always worry about waiting too long for a sequel, because with as many books as I read, I tend to forget much of the book. Sometimes an author does a good job of briefly catching you up on the story, but sometimes they write a sequel as if no time has passed since the end of the last book. De la Cruz was part of the former- choosing not to leave her readers grasping to remember what had already happened. It was done briefly and well detailed so someone reading the series straight through wouldn't feel it was too repetitive. I definitely appreciated her efforts with this.

The book itself was fun and exciting. The series is a bit younger than some other YA out there, and would be good for most middle school through high school students. The language and subject matter are fairly tame. The only weird thing I had trouble digesting was that Mimi and jack, who are born as brother and sister in this cycle, will be bonded and essentially made husband and wife. It is explained well in the book, and I understood it, but the pair seems unnecessarily complicated. The bonded pair could have easily been two unrelated people. I guess I am just having trouble getting over the ick factor with this relationship! Maybe more will come out in the later novels in the series. All in all, this was a great follow-up and I am already knees deep in book #3!

Not Your Average Vampire Story

For some reason I have this annoying habit of shunning bestsellers, ignoring the fact that they are probably bestsellers for a reason. I have seen the Blue Bloods series, by Melissa De la Cruz, floating around for a while now, and like the other post-Twilight vampires, I have ignored it. At the urging of another YA-obsessed cousin, I gave in and bought the first one. I was fully prepared to dislike this series, but just like what happened with Harry Potter and Twilight once I finally forced myself to read them, I was kicking myself for not starting this series sooner!!

In posh Manhattan, an elite private school called Duchesne has more secrets than you would imagine of the children of the rich, famous, and stylish. Schuyler is an outcast at Duchesne, along with her only two friends, Dylan and Oliver. Kids like Mimi and Jack Force rule the school in a way Schuyler can't even imagine. When one of Mimi's "friends" (followers) is found dead in a members-only night club, things begin to change around Manhattan. Despite the official story that her friend overdosed, the fact that she was completely drained of all her blood brings a secret society to the forefront: The Blue Bloods.

The 400 Blue Bloods are a constantly "reincarnating" (it isn't really reincarnating, but that is the simplest explanation) after they have lived an Expression for 100 years. There are a few Blue Bloods who have lived their immortality in one expression, but that must be approved by the rest of the Blue Bloods. But the most important rules of the 400 involve their lives as vampires- and how they do not abuse or kill Red Bloods (we measly non-vampires). When a new threat is attacking Blue Bloods and draining them of every drop of blood, thereby ending their souls, lives, and immortality, The Committee decides to induct the new Blue Bloods early. Much to Schuyler's surprise, she is invited. With her new Blue Blood secret and status revealed, she learns more about her friends and family than she could ever imagine. After she is attacked, she, Oliver, and fellow Blue Blood Bliss are determined to find out what is killing Blue Bloods when they are most vulnerable- as teenagers.

This is an exciting series that is a mix of Gossip Girl and Twilight. You have the posh Manhattan backdrop full of name-dropping and labels galore. Every school day begins with a detailed description of the Minolos, the Gucci, and the Dolce. The Vampires are the tame variety we got with Twilight, although they do have deep dark secrets. The interesting part of this setting is how De la Cruz used the Blue Bloods to explain much of the fashion industry in NYC, from the top designers to the models on billboards, and almost all the important socialites. How very interesting to use blood sucking to explain these two groups of people!

The writing is about on par with Twilight. It isn't too juvenile, but not too mature either. The story is very tame; there isn't much by way of sex or violence, although there is a great deal of club hopping. Since alcohol doesn't affect the Blue Bloods, it is a constant presence, although not the focus. Blue Bloods is a great series for any Twilight fan who needs something else now that meyer is finished with that series. However, it is also a great series for the Twilight skeptics! This kids who hate the popular series' just for their popularity's sake would probably enjoy this story. With all the high fashion, this is also a great story for the more "cosmopolitan" of kids! I know I am greedily devouring the second installment!