Book Report for the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz
bff charm: Yay!
swoonworthy scale: 7
talky talk: straight up, on 6 inch Manolo Blahniks
bonus factors: History! Private School, Tasty Business
relationship status: Going Steady
the deal:
Schuyler Van Alen is a poor kid going to a rich kid’s school. Oh, her family used to have money. In fact, they were responsible for most of the great landmarks in NYC. But that was before Schuyler’s Mom went into a coma all those years ago. Now it’s just Sky and her stiff grandmother, Cordelia, and when she’s not walking the halls of Duchesne in her thrift store clothes, (nursing her crush on Jack Force-swoon- thee hottest guy in school) or hanging out with her best friend Oliver Hazard-Perry, she and Cordelia spend time in the hospital, where Schuyler reads to her comatose mother, unsure if Allegra Van Alen can hear her, or if she’ll ever wake.
Bliss Lewellyn just transfered to Duchesne when her father became a senator, moving them from sunny Texas to NYC. She wants desperately to fit in, but always seems to be carrying last season’s handbag. She’s super thankful- at first- when Mimi Force (only the most popular girl at school, and twin sister to Jack Force – did I already say thud?) takes Bliss under her wing. But Mimi Force is just that, to be reckoned with, and soon Bliss finds her attentions drawn elsewhere- to Schuyler and Ollie’s friend Dylan…
Meanwhile, one of the students at Duchesne has been killed. Was it a drug overdose? A murder? And strange things begin happening to both girls- nightmares, blackouts… and then they receive their letters. Letters inviting them to join the school’s most prestigious club, the Blue Bloods. It is at their first meeting that the girls discover who – or rather what – they are.
You see, the Blue Bloods are vampires. But they weren’t always. They were once, in the time of paradise, angels. Before the Fall. Now they live by strict rules: only feed from a human once every 48 hours. Never kill a human. Never kill another Blue Blood. Because they’re trying to earn their way back into heaven. There are 400 of them, and they can choose to age very slowly, or to live a normal life span, and age like a human, and when they die, their blood is saved until it’s time for them to be ‘born’ again. They led in Rome. They were the first to land at Roanoke and Plymouth. They’ve been leading the humans all this time, but as the kids at Duchesne learn about themselves, they also learn something very frightening: Someone or something is hunting the Blue Bloods.
bff charm: Yay!
I love Schuyler, y’all, even though I don’t really know how to pronounce her name. (I’m assuming Sky-ler.) In fact, I love the whole cast of characters. I’d give Bliss my charm, too. And Oliver. Although, I might want something more smoochy from him, and Dylan, when I wasn’t too busy crushing on Jack Force (thud).
I would not, however, give my bff charm to Mimi Force. She is pretty much the evil bee-otch through the whole series, and although I would never want to be her friend, I couldn’t completely hate her either, and by the time I got to the fourth book, she’s actually kind of kick ass, and I hoped things would work out for her. As long as she stopped coming between Schuyler and Jack!
swoonworthy scale: 7
The forbidden love between Jack and Schuyler is so intense, you guys. Just how I like it. They HAVE to be together, but they can’t, because Jack’s twin soul is actually his twin sister, and that’s all wrong and creepy, but they’re not REALLY related, so… yeah, you have to read it to understand. Anyway, Schuyler really can’t help herself, she just loves Jack, and you know Jack feels the same way, you just know it!
talky talk: straight up, on 6 inch Manolo Blahniks
Who needs another vampire series to read, right? Well, you do, my friend, because Melissa de la Cruz delivers a delightful storyline and tells that story in a compelling, jaw-dropping manner. Her mythology is a new take on things, and I found it believable- well, for vampire mythology. If you haven’t started them yet, now is a good time, because they read like the old serials, and one is not enough!
The only thing I found slightly bugging – mostly because I had no idea what she was talking about – was the near constant dialogue of who was wearing what designer, and what each article of clothing looked like. But then, I’ve never watch Sex in the City, either. And even though I was like ‘Manolo-what?’ it didn’t detract from the story. See, I get it, these are society kids.
bonus factors: History!
If you love history like I do, and you love when people fold in their own fiction into the layers of real history, you’ll love the memories these kids access from their past lives, as well as some of the historical accounts Ms. de la Cruz presents to give us clues about what’s going on.
bonus factors: Private School
Not only is Duchesne a premier private school, it is a premier private school in Manhattan! Man, I would have been so cool if could have gone to private school in New York City…
bonus factors: Tasty Business
So these vampires can eat food, which makes me like them lots more. Of course they are also all models and never gain any weight, but that’s beside the point. They eat. They are meatatarians. And Ms. de la Cruz spends a fair amount of time describing the fantastic dishes these kids consume. It made me hungry.
casting call:
Alexis Bledel as Schuyler
Sometimes it’s hard to picture the lead girl, but not in this story. However, if she starts talking all fast and frantic like she did on that show of hers, I’m recasting her immediately.
Hayden Christensen as Jack Force
Why hello Jack.
Chase Crawford as Oliver
Laura Prepon as Bliss
Kate Bosworth as Mimi Force
Adam Brody as Dylan
relationship status: Going Steady
You know the drill.
To paraphrase from the wisdom of Ice-T, when I’m with this book, I’m WITH this book. Now, when I’m NOT with this book, because, say, I’m on tour performing gangsta’ rap, or more likely just waiting for the next one in the series to come out, the book and I have an understanding, and it doesn’t ask me any questions when I come home.
Related posts:
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
there is a TON OF SHIZZ going on in this series!! holy pants!!! i got halfway through “the deal” and was like, wait, there’s MORE?
i admit it, you hooked me with adam brody cos HE IS SUCH A CUTIE PIE (and totally underrated by hollywood, am i right?).
also, i am currently NOT reading a vampire series, which means i need one to read, because apparently i always need to be reading a vampire series nowadays.
Get thee to the library and start on these books! Adam Brody is under-appreciated!
Yay, I want to join the Adam Brody Appreciation Group! GAH WAS HE AWESOME IN JENNIFER’S BODY OR WHAT?! Loooove him.
These names are ridiculous. JACK FORCE! Total superhero/porn star name!
I am stupid in love with this series and have been ever since I read the first book.
these really are the best books ever. of all time. i can’t wait for the next one and also for the bliss spin of series!
These books are hysterical in this way that is half on purpose and half not and they’re ridiculous all the time and I love them so much it’s a little absurd. Throughout the first three books I wanted to write essays about how Jack and Mimi were the greatest romantic construct of ever, then the fourth book happened and I realized I just like Mimi. (Occasionally I feel like I’m reading these books wrong, but I do not care.)
Also, completely agree with the person who commented on the names. JACK FORCE. Isn’t it fantastic?
Yes! You all are so right about the craziness and the way they make you crazy in love with them! And the names! Jack Force. It makes it even more fun if you only ever picture him shirtless washing his hands.
i LOVE THESE BOOKS! and adam brody is PERFECT for dylan (well, for just about anything). great casting call. i still haven’t read the last book, but it is on.my.list. isn’t bliss fantastic? oh, man, i have to reread the whole series now. best vampire series ever.
ok, guys, so i read the first book over the holidays and… i didn’t love it. i feel really bad!!! like, i really enjoyed the premise, but the label-dropping annoyed the PANTS outta me. also, the characters didn’t seem super developed to me, and lots of the dialog fell flat. it felt like i was reading “gossip girl: the vampire series!” more than anything.
i wanted to like it!! i really did! but i guess this series just isn’t my cup of tea (er, blood?).
Sarah, the first book is the weakest, but I liked Jack Force enough to read on. The label-dropping is a bit much.
i love the books and i like the cast : )
Love the BB series. I would say Chance for Jack, not Oliver. All of M. de la Cruz’s books have name/label dropping, she was a fashion editor or something like that, so it is her thing.
I finally read this series. I loved the history angle. I thought the whole premise was creative and the fact that they’re angels is such an interesting twist. As with all of you, I was so over the name dropping after the first chapter of the first book. I noticed that it lessened a bit as the books went on (or I grew desensitized maybe?). I also had a hard time getting into the first one, but I stuck it out and I’m so glad I did because I’m kind of liking them alot now. I mean Jack Force? Hello hotness. But sweet Oliver. I have a little crush on him too. Skyler (yeah I kow I’m spelling it wrong but really I’m spelling it RIGHT. What’s with that name de la Cruz?) is a good heroine. I like her and the chemistry with Jack gets better with each book. My only other complaint is the vampire thing. It feels to me like the vampire mythology was sort of thrown in because vampires are so popular. In my opinion, the story is good without the blood sucking stuff. I’m excited to read the next one, where there is hopefully more Jack (good casting, BTW).
I only read the first book so far. It’s a good read, I thought it was inventive on how the blue bloods are cast out angels. I liked Schuyler, Bliss and Mimi, I didn’t really pay attention to the boys because they are all the same, swoony and hansome.