Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen is starting to get more comfortable with her newfound vampire powers, but she still has many unanswered questions. A trip to Italy in search of her grandfather only serves to make things more confusing. What secrets are the leaders of The Committee hiding? Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the famous Four Hundred Ball. In true Blue Blood fashion, the ball is totally fab, complete with masks-and hidden behind this masquerade is a revelation that will change the course of a young vampire's destiny.

The thrilling sequel in Melissa de la Cruz's vampire mythology has all the glamour, attitude, and vampire lore that made the first book a hit. (taken from Barnesandnoble.com)

Before starting this review, I looked back at my review of Blue Bloods to see what I said. I wanted to compare the two books, see if the author improved any. Earlier, I stated that I thought the plot was rushed and could have used more editing. And unfortunately, I still think the same thing about Masquerade. Honestly, the writing isn't that good. It's awkward, and just forced. But the good thing about this series are the twists and turns the plot takes. Every few pages, there's a new clue in the mystery of the Silver Bloods, which are the vampires that are killing the supposedly immortal Blue Bloods. The amount of things that happen in each book is incredible. The only reason I want to continue the series and read Revelations is just so I can find out what happens. I'm not invested in the characters in the least bit, and personally I find the protagonist Schuyler kind of boring. But the book ended on a cliff-hanger, and I am dying to know how everything turns out. So even though the writing needs a lot of revision, I am looking forward to the next book. If Melissa de la Cruz could improve her writing, then she would have the unbeatable combination of good writing and good plotting.

7 out of 10.