Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

Well. Ever since I got to the mid-way point in this novel, I've been thinking about what I was going to say when I blogged about it. I'm still struggling. Did I like it? Yes. But there were aspects of it that made me uncomfortable. I tend to read more middle-school stuff and this is definitely a high school book. But more about that later.

When we think of the term "Blue Bloods" we think of those who are fabulously rich and can trace their wealth back generations. That is what the term means in this book, but it also means so much more. Blue Bloods are vampires -- have been vampires since they were expelled from the Kingdom of Heaven. They want atonement -- to be accepted back into Heaven. Until then they live their lives (or cycles as they are called) using their wealth to bring culture to and do good for others. The Metropolitan Museum of Art? Founded by Blue Bloods. You get the idea. Although there is a theme of reincarnation, the vampires are born human and when they are fifteen, they start changing. Schuyler has just discovered that she is a vampire, not an easy thing for her to accept at first. But worse things are happening. Vampires are supposed to be immortal, but somehow the young teenage vampires are dying and the older vampires seem to be in denial about what's going on. Schuyler is in danger and so she and a couple of her friends set out to figure out who is causing the vampire deaths.

What's good about the book? I love the twists on the vampire myth. I think that's why I love Stephanie Meyer's books so much. The story is exciting and I've already gone out and bought the next book.

What made me uncomfortable about it? The drinking. Now I know it's explained in the book that alcohol doesn't affect vampires, but these fifteen year-olds drink. A lot. And quite frankly that bothered me. I do understand it goes with the "rich kids who are above the law stereotype" that she's creating but I wish she had chosen some other way to show this. There is one almost sex scene, but interestingly enough I don't think there was a single swear word.