Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

Have you ever wondered what secrets lurk behind the closed doors of New York City's wealthiest families? They're powerful, they're famous... they're undead.

Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question--is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When one of the Gates of Hell is breached by Silver Bloods in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high; the battle is bloody; and through it all, Carnavale rages on. And in the end, one vampire's secret identity will be exposed in a revelation that shocks everyone. (Taken from Amazon)

If you've read my reviews of the first two books of this series (Blue Bloods and Masquerade), you'll know that I was unimpressed with the writing. I'm happy to say that Melissa de la Cruz did improve a little in this book. The dialogue was better (not as cheesy as before) and the overall writing has made some progress. So hopefully, the next book will be perfect!

The plot, as always, was fast-paced and filled with twists and turns. Those surprises throughout the books are pretty much the only reason why I read them. You think you know what's going on, and BAM, suddenly someone you thought was good is bad and vice versa. There were of ton of new (shall I say it?) revelations in this novel, which helped make up for the average writing. I can't wait for the release of The Van Alen Legacy, just so I can find out what happens.

7 out of 10.

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.

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen lives with her rich grandmother in New York City and attends a pretigious high school in which all the students come from the wealthiest and most influential families. The girls are beautiful, thin, and seem to have it all - including immortality. And Schuyler's one of them. These are the Blue Bloods, a group of vampires that have ruled New York for centuries. Not quite your normal vampires, they shed their mortal bodies every 100 years and are born again, with memories hidden until the age of sixteen. These vampires are immortal, but something is preying on the Blue Bloods, and killing them. Schuyler must figure out who is behind the attacks before it is too late.

I've wanted to read this series for awhile, but didn't have the book until my friend let me borrow hers. She was raving about Blue Bloods so I expected it to be good. And it was. But I wasn't that impressed with it overall. The plot was interesting, even though it was another of the never-ending vampire novels. I'm glad that Melissa de la Cruz decided to go in a different direction with her vampires. These ones actually "die" in that they shed their mortal bodies and are born again at a different time. This is interesting because the characters are now different people and have different relationships with each other. The person you were bonded to in one lifetime could be born as your twin brother (which actually happens). Although, I wished the author explained more about the Blue Bloods and their history. Everything seemed rushed, and not fully explained, but I hope everything will be cleared up in the next few books. Things I didn't like included the dialogue, which sounded forced and a little cheesy to me. The plot could have been polished slightly so it wasn't so rough around the edges. I think one more round of editing would have done the book wonders. Even with its flaws, Blue Bloods took an unoriginal theme and made it original and new, which is always a good thing.

6 out of 10.