Review: Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Blue Bloods review by Melissa de la Cruz Reviewed by Dani and Steph.
Dani’s rating: 2 stars Steph’s rating: 3 stars Overall rating: 2.5 Stars 

Goodreads Synopsis:

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. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. 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 popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?

   
    Dani’s review:

I am not a big fan of vampire books, but I read this book because of Steph’s constant nagging.  I did not like this book at all, although the Mayflower idea is cool. If you know your history, you will remember that  the Roanoke colony disappeared long ago, leaving only a cryptic message behind: Croatan This series is based off of how the author’s imagination decoded that mysterious word. This book reminded me of A-List and The Clique books. It’s about wealthy New Yorkers who just happen to be vampires, or blue bloods. They think they’re so special because not only are they rich and fashionable, they are vampires. Big deal.

    In my opinion, there wasn’t much of a plot in this book. The writing wasn’t very good either. It’s all easy language that would probably be classified as a fourth grade reading level, although the content may be more middle school based. English teachers would call it “bad writing”. All that happens in this book is Schuyler discovering that she is a vampire and who her mother really is. Like every Ya paranormal book series, the otherworldly antagonists do show up throughout the series, but there’s not much actual fighting. It’s mainly a certain antagonist, who appears to be a friend, attacking Schuyler.

    If you like books about “drama” that isn’t actually as big as high school girls think it is, read this.   

    Steph’s review:

I agree that this first book wasn’t very good, and this comes from the vampire book lover. I’ve read the whole series up until where it left off in book 6, so I can say that the series gets better. The first book is kind of like the “introductory book”; an intro that is way too long and drawn out. It is almost like a prologue for the rest of the series. The plot about the mystery of the classmates death is pretty pointless, and doesn’t add to the plot that the series is really based on. I feel like Melissa de la Cruz just used it to make her introduction seem more interesting (which it didn’t).There wasn’t much suspense like there would be in a real mystery, and everything is blatantly laid out in front of you. I do give points to Mrs. de la Cruz for at least trying to stick with the plot, even though it really didn’t work. I can understand why a lot of people would stop reading beyond Book 1, it’s pretty cheesy and not one of those capturing first books that draw you in and make you love the series.

    In this book, Schuyler Van Alen is the “not-it-girl”, or even as far as the “out-girl”,  who happens to fall for the very much “it-boy”, Jack Force (who yes, is also a vampire). The “love” between Jack and Schuyler is pretty skeptical here and it’s almost like one of those ridiculous love at first sight things, although Schuyler has been staring at Jack for years, while Jack just suddenly notices her when she begins her transition and “falls-in-love”. You never know with these popular boys. They could seriously love you or they could just be playing you.

    Oh yes, and of course like almost any YA book today, there’s a love triangle happening. The other boy is Oliver Hazard Perry, Schuyler’s longtime best, pretty much only friend, and “Conduit”--basically a bodyguard. His name was pretty cunning on Mrs. de la Cruz’s part; it also comes from someone important in American history, though he actually lived a lot later than the Mayflower/Roanoke period. Yes, I am so PRO OLIVER. He is so loyal and sweet towards Schuyler, and he has been secretly in love with her for a while, which is totally understandable. They’re close and have known eachother for like, forever.  A love story with Oliver and Schuyler makes much more sense to me than the story given to us with Jack and Schuyler. I hate that Schuyler can’t see Oliver’s feelings towards her, and doesn’t even try to see it. All she sees is the seemingly perfect Jack who may or may not be in love with her.

     Alright, enough bashing. Points I did like about this book:

1. Oliver Oliver Oliver always--he’s probably what made me read the 2nd book and eventually made me love the series.
2. The ending wasn’t too bad I suppose. I also felt like the writing was bearable, but no more than that.
3. The basis of this novel--I thought the whole Mayflower and Roanoke concept was pretty awesome on Melissa’s part.
Those three points give this book 3 stars :) I also suggest that if you didn’t ABSOLUTELY hate this book, try book 2 ,and maybe you’ll actually end up liking the series like me :D.