Saturday, January 2, 2010

1. Blue Bloods - Melissa De La Cruz

Blue Bloods Series Book #1
YA
Hyperion Paper, 2006
$8.99
302 pgs
(plus 1st chapter of next book, Masquerade)
Rating: 2.5

This vampire series has a little different take on vampirism. Making up the elite of New York, vampires live in cycles of about 100 years, then go dormant and reappear again as a baby with a new name. They begin to have their past memories - and grow their fangs - when they turn 15.

The protagonist seems to be Schuyler VanAlen, a free-thinking waif (of a sort) from the old-money-now-poorer set. She and her richy-rich peers go to Duchesne School in NYC, which is "ruled" by the gorgeous and powerful Force twins, Mimi and Jack. When one of their classmates is killed, completely voided of blood and gone forevermore, something seems to have gone totally amiss. Schuyler and her best friend, Oliver, team up with new student Bliss to try to figure out whats going on.

There are a number of sub-plots. The story is told in different voices, which makes it a little ragged. The sub-plots add to a bit of mystery. Descriptions of the NYC of the rich and famous are a little nauseating, but descriptors of locales in Manhattan make it interesting, especially if you know Manhattan.

I'm left with a sense of I know who I hate, but other than that I'm not sure who I like or who I don't like. It's definitely written leaving many, many (if not all!) questions up in the air, and though I have to read the next in the series, Masquerade, for my TARC book group this month, I don't think I would bother otherwise. Who knows, maybe I'll get to like it. . ?

No comments: