Book Review: Bloody Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Bloody Valentine
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Series: Blue Bloods Novella
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Release Date: December 28, 2010
Other Books In Series:
Blue Bloods
Masquerade
Revelations
The Van Alen Legacy
Misguided Angel

Warning: Summary and review contain MAJOR spoilers for books 1-5. Read at your own risk!

---

Goodreads Summary:

Vampires have powers beyond human comprehension: strength that defies logic, speed that cannot be captured on film, the ability to shapeshift and more. But in matters of the heart, no one, not even the strikingly beautiful and outrageously wealthy Blue Bloods, has total control. In Bloody Valentine, bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz offers readers a new story about the love lives of their favorite vamps - the passion and heartache, the hope and devastation, the lust and longing. Combined with all the glitz, glamour, and mystery fans have come to expect, this is sure to be another huge hit in the Blue Bloods series.

Also, witness the bonding of Jack and Schuyler.

---

My Review:
As this is a novella, I'm not going to judge it against other books and rate it. When a series has a novella, I typically don't read them at all because they're usually rather disappointing- I'd rather not read a mini story, I would prefer a whole book.

This book enforced that belief for me. It wasn't bad, I was just a bit irritated with how short each story was! That is the point of a novella though, so I can't really complain.

This book is told in three parts: The first story is about Oliver, Schuyler's Conduit and best friend. His story is one of being healed over his love for Schuyler, since he knows they'll never be together. I expected it to be more of a romance- it wasn't, really. I want to see Oliver fall in love with someone, not just be cured by magic. This story did do one positive thing though- it introduced a character who will be coming up in Melissa's new adult series, The Witches of East End, which I'm assuming is set in the same world as the Blue Bloods, but about witches. It certainly got my attention and I'm now looking forward to that series as well as the continuation of Blue Bloods.

The second story goes back in time, explaining how Allegra, Schuyler's mother, fell in love with a human, which was how Schuyler was born. I liked this story at first, but completely didn't understand the ending. Wouldn't her choice in the end have prevented Schuyler from being born and Allegra going into a coma at all? Maybe there's going to be a further continuation of her story later. I also really didn't like her love interest, Bendix, because he felt very flat, and so did the whole romance. I think this was because the story wasn't more than 40-50 pages long.

The third story was the best and most appropriate for the length. It merely described Schuyler's and Jack's bonding, and a small ordeal with European Venators that had to be overcome before the ceremony. It was probably my favorite because Schuyler and Jack were characters we already knew, and the shortness felt appropriate because it was meant just to tell a small part of their journey together, as opposed to Allegra's story where 40-50 pages was supposed to convey Allegra's and Bendix's whole relationship.

If you're a Blue Bloods fan, I'd recommend the novella, but don't have high expectations for it. I figure you might be able to skip it entirely and just go onto the next book in the series when it releases.

Blog Tour: Guest Post w/ Melissa de la Cruz (Bloody Valentine)

Today I have a guest post from author Melissa de la Cruz. This is a part of the Bloody Valentine blog tour, celebrating the release of the latest Blue Bloods novella Bloody Valentine. (Which I will have a review of tomorrow!)

Author Bio:
Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.

She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.

Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.

---

Books I’ve Read in 2010: What I Read That I Loved Lately By Melissa de la Cruz

Half Empty: David Rakoff

Funny and sardonic and subtle and cutting, Rakoff writes diamond-sharp barbs at the idiocy of life. I loved his story about Olivia Goldsmith, the author of The First Wives Club, who died from plastic surgery, and how horrible she was to work with, and how she treated everyone who worked for her publisher with such high-handed drama. It’s a reminder of how you’ve got to keep grounded in this business, because everyone will talk about you if you’re a diva.

Rat: Fernanda Eberstadt

About a fourteen-year old girl living in the grimy part of the South of France, and how she journeys to save her brother and find her father whom she’s never met. A great great heroine, very brave, reminded me a lot of Mattie Ross from True Grit. Girls who had to deal with a lot in a young age and be wiser than the adults around them. Just a fabulous book.

I Shudder: Paul Rudnick

Paul Rudnick can do no wrong in my book and “I Shudder” is campy, hilarious, laugh-out-loud, a total riot. I loved the story about the crazy coke-snorting producer in Miami and how “Sister Act” (which he wrote) got made.

The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: Ben Mezrich

The movie was great, and I wanted more, so I read this. Great story, Mezrich makes everything so thrilling. Really fun stuff, and I love stories about smart overachievers.

The Privileges: Jonathan Dee

One of those books that stay with you, about a young ambitious couple in New York and their journey to the top of the hedge-fund pile. I love a literary soap opera.

True Prep: Lisa Birnbach

The sequel to the Official Preppie Handbook, a book I read when I was 13, and treated as a guidebook. I had no idea it was a satire, and I grew up in the Philippines, we had no idea what Nantucket was, but we wanted to be part of it. At least I did. I love this update. According to this book, I can now consider myself a preppie (Prep school, Ivy League, check). Success!

Squirrel Meets Chipmunk: David Sedaris

Sedaris can do no wrong, and this is so mean and true and funny you cannot miss it.

Imperial Bedrooms: Bret Easton Ellis

No one does spooky LA noir, deep ennui and Hollywood savagery like Easton Ellis. I loved Less Than Zero, and I love this sequel. Creepy and haunting and beautifully written. He told my agent he liked Blue Bloods, and even tried to option it when it first came out, and I still find it such a great compliment. I’ve forgotten why it didn’t work out but it’s still thrilling to know he liked it. One of my literary heroes. And when I first moved to LA I met the “real” Blair, his high school BFF who inspired the character. She was really nice! I met Blair! Can you imagine? Still tickles me.

Await Your Reply: Dan Chaon

One of the best books I’ve read in ages. The plot is perfect, and it’s rare to read a literary novel that has such a tight structure. Rave, rave, rave. A real masterpiece and a wonderful book about brotherhood, love, loss, the lies we tell ourselves. One of those books you can’t describe because you don’t want to give the secret away, you can only say “YOU’VE GOT TO READ THIS!”

The Maze Runner: James Dashner

I met James at a conference in Texas, and he had the cutest most enthusiastic boy fan and it intrigued me to pick up his book. An old-fashioned cool sci-fi story, told with imagination and gusto. Also from the YA aisle I heartily recommend the highly entertaining books from my friends Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls) and Elizabeth Scott (my favorite is Perfect You) and my fellow Smart Chicks alums: Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series, Alyson Noel’s Immortals, Kelley Armstrong’s Darkest Powers, Kami Garcia and Margie Stohl’s Beautiful Creatures, Carrie Ryan’s The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampires. So much good stuff!

I have a ton of books on my TBR pile.

I still have to read Franzen’s Freedom, a couple of the new Julia Glass books (Three Junes was one of my favorite books ever). I want to catch up on my Edith Wharton (I never read The Buccaneers) and the new Laura Lippman. I want to read Swamplandia, I’ve heard such great buzz, and I’m looking forward to reading Allie Condie’s Matched and Beth Revis’s Across the Universe.

---

Thanks so much so the post, Melissa! I know I'll be checking out some of those book recommendations. Especially Rat... doesn't that one sound awesome? And I agree about Across the Universe- I have it sitting on my shelf and can't wait to get to reading it!

Find Melissa online:
Website
Twitter

(I have linked all of these books to their Goodreads pages.)

Book Review: The Van Alen Legacy

Title: The Van Alen Legacy
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Series: Blue Bloods #4
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Release Date: October 6, 2009
My Source: Library
Other Books In Series:
Blue Bloods
Masquerade
Revelations

Warning: May contain mild spoilers for those who haven't read the books 1-3 of the series.

---

Goodreads Summary:

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

Young, fanged, and fabulous, Melissa de la Cruz's vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the Blue Bloods series.

---

My Review:
The fourth book in the addicting Blue Bloods series, The Van Alen Legacy continues in the format of it's predecessors, in telling the story switching between 3 teenage vampire girls- Schuyler, Bliss, and Mimi. It takes place a year after the 3rd book, a time gap which makes the beginning hard to get into. Schuyler and her best friend Oliver have been on the run from the Conclave for over a year. Bliss can't remember much of the past year- she's being possessed and used by a mysterious Visitor who inhabits her mind. And Mimi has been traveling the world with Kingsley to investigate what happened in Rio.

The first half of this book felt like a let down to me- probably because of the year that passed, it was hard to get back into the characters. It was just so slow moving. Bliss, Schuyler, and Mimi were all in completely different parts of the world on different missions. It took me awhile to read through this part.

It picked up once all the characters returned to their home of New York City. It became addicting and interesting. The plot was as crazy good as ever again, and tension of the Silver Bloods, the sinister evil vampires who are trying to pretty much destory the world, was there again. The plot was so intrinsic that it was a little difficult to follow at times. I'm still not sure if I got it all, because I read too quickly sometimes. So much is going on though, and that's a good thing.

My new favorite character is Mimi- her story is easily the most interesting and I love her romantic relationships with a certain person I won't mention, I don't want to give anything away! Schuyler is torn between her best friend Oliver and her forbidden love Jack, and I felt SO bad for Oliver the whole time. I really hope something good happens to him at the end of the series.

This book is getting a slightly lower rating than the previous two because the first half was so much less entertaining than the previous books, but thankfully it picked up and turned out much better by the second half.

Out of all the vampire series I've read, I think plot-wise Blue Bloods is definitely the winner. I'll definitely be reading more of this series, besides the plot, I need to see Mimi end up with the person I really, really, really think she's going to. ;)


3.5 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Revelations
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Series: Blue Bloods #3
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: October 28 2008
My Source: Library
Other Books In Series:
Blue Bloods
Masquerade

My Rating: 4/5

---

Goodreads Summary:

Have you ever wondered what secrets lurk behind the closed doors of New York City's wealthiest families? They're powerful, they're famous... they're undead.
Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question--is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When one of the Gates of Hell is breached by Silver Bloods in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high; the battle is bloody; and through it all, Carnavale rages on. And in the end, one vampire's secret identity will be exposed in a revelation that shocks everyone.

---

My Review:

The third book in the Blue Bloods series, Revelations follows the same pattern as the books in the previous series. Very rich New York vampires, trying to make sense of the Silver Blood crisis that's threatening to destroy them all.

In previous reviews I mentioned getting irritated with the flat characters. Even though it still bothers me, I've seen some change in them. Previously, I thought Bliss had no personality because in the first book she was just Mimi's sidekick who had an unhealthy and random obsession with Dylan. But now I think she's acutally becoming her own character, and she's not nearly as boring to read about. So in that sense, this book was getting better.

The POV is the same as previous books- 3rd person, alternating between Schuyler, Bliss, and Mimi- but documents are randomly thrown in there, transcripts of random conversations that took place during other characters during Masquerade that explain the background of the plot twists in the previous book. I really like this, how the resolution of the plot of the previous book is well explained, with some questions still left open.

I've mentioned before this series isn't deep or extremely well written, but it's fun and I couldn't enjoy reading it more. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining vampire plot, who just wants to read something for fun. That's what it is to me and I really enjoy reading it.

I read Revelations immediately following Masquerade, the second book in the series. Now I'm dying to get my hands on the fourth book. It's just plain addicting. This book gets 4/5 stars and I'd recommend it if you liked the previous books and are looking for a fun read without a whole ton of substance (but not without any).

Book Review: Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Masquerade
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Series: Blue Bloods #2
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: May 1 2007
My Source: Library
My Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Summary:
Schuyler Van Alen wants an explanation for the mysterious deaths of young vampires. With her best friend, Oliver, Schuyler travels to Italy in the hope of finding the one man who can help—her grandfather. Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the Four Hundred Ball, an exclusive gala hosted by the city's wealthy, powerful, and unhuman—a true Blue Blood affair.

But it's at the after-party, a masquerade ball thrown by the cunning Mimi Force, that the real danger lurks. Hidden behind the masks is a revelation that will forever change the course of a young vampire's destiny.

Rich with glamour, attitude, and vampire lore, this second installment in the Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsting for more.

My Review:
Blue Bloods is a vampire series following 15-year-old Schuyler Van Alen who discovers she's a vampire, but not just any vampire. She learns that the Blue Bloods are a group of elite and super rich New Yorkers, but they're also vampires, she whether she likes it or not, she's one of them.

This book also follows Bliss and Mimi, two of Schuyler's fellow vampires and acquaintances. They all have their own interconnecting storylines going on, and it's told in 3rd person POV switching between the 3 girls.

The best part about this book was the plot and mystery. I won't take the time to explain it here, but the stakes are high and there are plenty of mysteries that come to light as the books progress.

As with the first book, there were plenty of details on exactly what every character was wearing, and sometimes, how much they cost. The character development is really lacking though- the only character I ever felt like I was really in their head was Mimi. Schulyer was ok, but Bliss was a very flat character with virtually no personality.

There were also a few weird unneccesary plot tangents, but they were very short. A subplot that started in the first book was Schulyer and Bliss's modeling careers. It added nothing to the book except a chance to describe a few more outfits. I really felt like this made no sense for Schulyer''s character. I didn't understand her because I never thought she'd be a model... but that's just kind of how this whole series is.

One more thing- this book implies that it will be about the Masquerade ball. In reality, the ball lasts for about 3 pages towards the beginning and is only mentioned a couple of times after that, and has really no significance to the plot. The summary is misleading.

You can tell I have a lot of issues with this series, but I absolutely cannot stop reading. This book was short and I read it in a day. I guess I'm calling this my "guilty pleasure" reading, because even though I have so many problems it's still such an entertaining read.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for a series of quick, juicy and entertaining reads. Don't expect a lot out of this series, but you'd be surprised by how quickly you tear through them. This book deserves 4/5 stars.

Cover: 4/5
It goes with the rest of the series just fine, but like I said, none of this book is really about a Masquerade.

Book Review: Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Blue Bloods
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Series: Blue Bloods #1
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: May 1 2006
My Source: Bought


My Rating: 3/5


When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society. The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries.
But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think.
Could those vampire legends really be true? Steeped in vampire lore and set against the heady backdrop of the rich, young, and powerful in the heart of New York City, Blue Bloods will be devoured by Melissa de la Cruz's legion fans.


This book is a combination of vampires meets rich new yorkers, which in the premise sounded really intriging to me, and that's why I picked it up. I really wanted to like this book, and it was entertaining, even if it wasn't best book I've ever read. Schuyler Van Alen, along with many other teens her age, found out she was a vampire when she turned fifteen, but not only that, they learned that they had lived many past lives and were reincarnated over and over again. I'm sorry, but every time I read a book with the whole reincarnation thing it usually drags the book down for me (...like Evermore, a book I really didn't enjoy). I'm not sure why, but it's like if they'd had so many past lives I hardly care about this one. Fortunately, without giving away any spoilers, I'll just say that this book had enough differences, twists in the whole reincarnation thing that I was able to deal with it. It was definitely interesting enough, a new take on the vampire thing by having them be immortal angels, you'd have to read it to really understand it.
One thing I did like about this book was that it was told in third person, and not just focused on romance where there's one perfect mysterious guy. Actually, I didn't really like any of the guys in this book, which was a little bit of a let down, but it was okay.
I have to say the writing in this book was pretty horrible. I absolutely do not get the point of having the Schulyer/Bliss photoshoot, it completely didn't relate to the plot and totally got me confused about Schuyler's character. The books started out like this: Mimi is the fashion obsessed, rich girl, Schuyler is the goth girl who don't care about that, and then suddenly she's this vampire and model. What? No character development. I'm so confused! That wasn't exactly the only thing in this book that totally didn't make sense. It was really unrealistic, but I still kept reading because even though it was lame at times, it certainly wasn't boring. You might be dragged down by all the designer labels, clothing descriptions, etc, but I was reading it fast enough that I didn't care, though there was a point where it started to get ridiculous.

I'm going to continue reading the next one, but if it starts getting worse (more ridiculous and unbelievable characters) than I don't know if I'll stick with the series.
*content warning: some completely uneccesary (in my opinion) sexual content!