Blue Bloods

June 5, 2006
De la Cruz combines American history, vampires and a crew of rich New York City kids, delivering a page-turning debut to her new series, sure to appeal to fans of her Au Pairs titles. When 15-year-olds Schuyler and Bliss find out that they are vampires, as are many of the city's elite, they learn what's behind some of their weird symptoms (such as Schuyler's blue veins, which form "an intricate pattern, visible under the skin's surface," or Bliss's cravings for raw meat), and that "nothing could kill vampires." But something is hunting them, even killing some, and Schuyler grows more determined to stop it, even as the Conclave, the vampire leaders, attempts to cover it up. Readers will recognize the character types here: Schuyler the outcast, Bliss the pretty new girl and Mimi the popular queen bee (who nurses a somewhat incestuous relationship with her equally gorgeous brother). Not many question are answered along the way, even for the start of a series. Still, it's hard to resist a book that combines expensive clothes, modeling jobs, blood-sucking and even diary entries from a Mayflower
vampire. De la Cruz plants enough seeds (e.g., What does it mean that Schuyler's father is human? Will her mother come out of her coma? Who are the Silver Bloods, and is one of them hiding amongst the vampires?) to give readers a stake in what happens next. Ages 12-up.

May 15, 2022
The Blue Blood vampires are back, but the world now looks very different. When Schuyler wakes up in New York City, she's disoriented. Last she remembers, she was in London, where she defeated Lucifer but lost her love, Jack. She soon realizes that this New York is not the same one she remembers, and even her reflection in the mirror looks different, although she is still a half vampire. She's in an alternate universe where it's 2020, a pandemic is raging, her mom is a completely different person, Lucifer is still alive and mayor of the city, and Jack is alive, too--but he doesn't even know Schuyler. Turns out Schuyler isn't the only one with memories of the other world; her friend Kingsley remembers it, and he believes it's up to Schuyler to defeat Lucifer...again. Schuyler's old world comes from the original Blue Bloods series, but this new entry functions as a reboot and spinoff, inviting in new readers. However, because of the ties to the previous books, a lot of information is introduced at the beginning, slowing things down. Although there's some fun action, the worldbuilding of this latest story is underdeveloped. The cast includes more diversity than before: Schuyler and best friend Oliver are now multiracial (other leads are White), and Kingsley has a male love interest--but all the characters are bland and one-note. The sequel-bait open ending is also unsatisfying. Unlikely to thrill readers of the original series or draw in new fans. (Paranormal. 12-18)

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