Preparations are under way for the ball of the century. But as any true Blue Blood knows, it's the after-party that counts. And the cunning Mimi Force is getting ready to make sure her masquerade ball is the place to be for the Young, Fabulous and Fanged. But Schuyler Van Alen has more on her mind than fancy dresses, even if her crush Jack Force, is sure to make an appearance. She's getting closer to finding out what's been preying on the young vamps ? and discovering the deadly secrets hiding under the masks...Rich with glamour, attitude and vampire lore, this second instalment in the Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsting for more.
Review:
Following the 1st Blue Bloods story we are thrown right in to the middle of the action from the beginning of this book. Schyler has travelled to Venice with Oliver in order to find her long-lost grandfather, Lawrence Van Alen, as per her grandmother's, Cordelia's, last request. You really do need to read this series in order to fully understand the plot twists and character interactions.
Unfortunately, Lawrence is not as Schyler imagined and after her unsuccessful 'mission' to Venice she returns to NYC. I adore Schyler's depth of character, she has the usual teenage angst dealing with friendships, falling in love, school, loss, etc on top of all these 'normal' things she has to adjust to her vampire nature while simultaneously being shunned by the prominent Blue Bloods due to her heritage.
As one mystery is unravelled within the narrative another takes its place. It has more plot twists and turns than a corkscrew roller-coaster and is just as thrilling (if you like roller-coasters - they make me sick but I thought it was a good analogue :0) A few red herrings are thrown into the mix getting the reader to question their assumptions about the plot, very, very clever plot building.
All of the prominent characters personalities and backgrounds are developed further. My dislike of Mimi increased exponentially the more I got to know her. The true extent of the relationship between Sky and Oliver is revealed (or is it). The reader is left to unravel the tangle that is the interaction of the characters. It certainly keeps you on your toes. Interactions and personalities are revealed, mistakes are made and further mysteries unravelled.The action is fast paced.
There are odd reports interspersed sporadically throughout the book. At first these appear to be random and unrelated to the main story, but are in fact another mystery to be solved :0)
The behind the scenes look at the modelling world was outstanding, you can tell from the narrative that Melissa de la Cruz has personal knowledge of these situations. Adding to the sense of realism within the narrative. Further enhanced by the description of the clothes and party, Melissa de la Cruz certainly knows her designer clothes, no wonder she writes for glamour magazines. The imagery was so sensory I felt completely immersed in the Blue Blood's world.
The addition of the Van Alen Family Tree at the end of the book was really helpful as a visual aid in keeping track of the key characters, their shared history and connections.
If the 1st book didn't have you hooked then this one certain will. As soon as I finished the last page I had to pick up the next book to continue the story. A terrific vampire series with a unique twist :0)
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