Review: Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

bluebloods1 Schuyler Van Alen sticks out like a sore thumb at the private school she attends where everyone is decked out in designer clothes while she prefers baggy layers. Being from a formerly-prominent family in Manhattan does nothing for her social ranking at school especially with Mimi Force, the Queen Bee at Duchesne, around. But when one of the popular girls in Mimi’s group is found dead and drained of blood, suspicions start circulating and Schuyler is determined to find out what is going on before more people start dying, much to the dismay of everyone else who is denying that anything is wrong.

This first book was like Gossip Girls meets vampires, in the most fun sense of that comparison. I had always wanted to read this series, and always figured it was some light fluff fun… socialites in New York City with some vampires thrown in there, but boy was I pleasantly surprised! While a good chunk of this book focuses mainly on 3 different girls in this upper-class privileged world trying to figure out what’s going on with themselves and around them, it definitely takes a more dark and sinister turn once the mystery of the dead girl plays out.

Interspersed among the chapters were also diary entries from a woman that came over with other soon-to-be settlers on the Mayflower. As the present-day narrative unfolds, you also get a glimpse at the bizarre occurrences that transpired in 1620, how it ties in with the lives of Schuyler & Mimi, and more insight into the history of those who have lived through many centuries & call themselves “Blue Bloods”.

The vampire mythology that De La Cruz has created is so unique and refreshing, especially knowing that she had come up with the idea for this series before the Twilight vampire craze. Between the glitz & glamour, fashion & luxury, Blue Bloods sets up this 7-book series with just enough extravagance and intrigue to keep readers wanting to find out more.