Book Review: Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods #1) by Melissa de la Cruz

Summary:

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society. The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. 
But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think.

Could those vampire legends really be true?

Review:  

The first time I read this book, the story didn't really "grab" me at first.  However, the more I read, the more I liked it.  I like Schuyler and Oliver.  I also really enjoy Schuyler's huge crush on Jack Force (the most popular boy in school).   Yes, this is another YA vampire series, but it is well-done.  Blue Bloods is definitely worth your time.

Just One Gripe:

The story was kind of slow to take off.

The Best Thing About This Book:

I like the premise that some of our founding families were vampires.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes

Score:

Characters:  4/5

Plot:  3/5

Setting/Imagery:  3/5

Originality:  4/5

Ending:  4/5

Total Score:  18/25

Book Review: True Blue by David Baldacci

Summary:

A mysterious high-profile homicide in the nation's capital collides with the dark side of national security in David Baldacci's new, heart-stopping thriller.

Mason "Mace" Perry was a firebrand cop on the D.C. police force until she was kidnapped and framed for a crime. She lost everything-her badge, her career, her freedom-and spent two years in prison. Now she's back on the outside and focused on one mission: to be a cop once more. Her only shot to be a true blue again is to solve a major case on her own, and prove she has the right to wear the uniform. But even with her police chief sister on her side, she has to work in the shadows: A vindictive U.S. attorney is looking for any reason to send Mace back behind bars. Then Roy Kingman enters her life.

Roy is a young lawyer who aided the poor until he took a high-paying job at a law firm in Washington. Mace and Roy meet after he discovers the dead body of a female partner at the firm. As they investigate the death, they start uncovering surprising secrets from both the private and public world of the nation's capital.

Soon, what began as a fairly routine homicide takes a terrifying and unexpected turn-into something complex, diabolical, and possibly lethal.

Review:

This was another reliably entertaining read by Baldacci. Some of his characters seem a little formulaic, for example, the tough-as-nails woman, the down-on-his luck man, the man who thinks he's not tough but discovers throughout the circumstances presented in the book that he is, and the typical rule-the-world, the end justifies the means type government types. There were some surprises in this book, but also some predictability too. I wasn't staying up late wanting to read this one, it was definitely a fast-paced book but I wasn't dying to finish it. This wasn't Baldacci's best read, but is is definitely worth your time, if you are a fan of Baldacci or mystery/thriller books in general. I personally think David Baldacci is always better than John Grisham, but that's just me.

Just One Gripe:

Mace?  Mace is her NAME?  Seriously?

The Best Thing About This Book:

I'ts nice to read about strong female protagonists.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Probably not, there is a focus on murder, drugs and prison in this book.

Score:

Characters:  3/5

Plot:  4/5

Setting/Imagery:  4/5

Originality:  3/5

Ending:  3/5

Total Score:  17/25

Even Better Baldacci Books:

Book Review: Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Summary:

From the author of the smash-hit bestseller Firefly Lane and True Colors comes a powerful, heartbreaking novel that illuminates the intricate mother-daughter bond and explores the enduring links between the present and the past.

Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard: the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time - and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.

 

Review:

I loved this book. It was my favorite Kristin Hannah book to date. She never disappoints---I've never read anything of hers that I didn't like. 

I read Winter Garden at the gym over the course of several days and cried while on the elliptical trainer at the end of this book! I loved the characters and the relationships they had. Kristin Hannah writes about relationships:  relationships between sisters, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, etc.  Her books are not "love stories" but rather "relationship stories."  They may have an intimate scene or two but do not go into raunch territory (like Sandra Brown or so many others). 

I really like the way Kristin Hannah writes, especially the way she develops her characters as the story progresses. Her endings aren't all tied up neatly but are more realistic, but at the same time not depressing like Anita Shreve or even Jodi Piccoult of late. Overall an excellent read!

 

Just One Gripe:

The ending was a little sappy.

The Best Thing About This Book:

The relationships and how Hannah makes you care about her characters.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Borderline yes.  There are some bedroom scenes but nothing too graphic.

Score:
Characters:  5/5
Plot:  5/5
Setting/Imagery:  5/5
Originality:  4/5
Ending:  4/5
Total Score:  23/25

 


Other Great Books by Kristin Hannah:

Book Review: Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

Summary:

A year ago, Cal Thompson was a college freshman moreinterested in meeting girls and partying than in attending biology class. Now, after a fateful encounter with a mysterious woman named Morgan, biology has become, literally, Cal's life.

Cal was infected by a parasite that has a truly horrifying effect on its host. Cal himself is a carrier, unchanged by the parasite, but he's infected the girlfriends he's had since Morgan. All three have turned into the ravening ghouls Cal calls Peeps. The rest of us know them as vampires. It's Cal's job to hunt them down before they can create more of their kind. . . .

Bursting with the sharp intelligence and sly humor that are fast becoming his trademark, Scott Westerfeld's novel is an utterly original take on an archetype of horror.

Review:

This was a fast read. Scott Westerfeld's books are in the YA category but read more like children's literature to me. Even though the main character in Peeps is 19 years old, he thinks and acts like a much younger boy. As is typical with Scott Westerfeld, there is very little emotion or feeling in this book. It's almost all action the whole time. While entertaining, his books are not the kind I want to stay up and read because I just can't wait to find out how they end. They are good but not great. I like Westerfeld a lot, but his characters seem to have the emotional maturity of 12 year olds, whether they are actually 12 or 19, as the main character in Peeps.

Just One Gripe:

The chapters in this book alternate between synopsis of different parasites and the actual story.  I didn't like reading about all of those parasites---there is a LOT of biology in this book!

The Best Thing About This Book:

Hmmm, I'm having to think about this one.  I guess the best thing is Westerfeld's creativity of the weapons (called "anathema" in this book) that Cal uses to fight the peeps. 

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes, although bear in mind that Cal thinks about sex quite a bit in this book.  Nothing happens, but there are a LOT of thoughts about it.

Score:
Characters:  2/5
Plot:  2/5
Setting/Imagery:  2/5
Originality:  3/5
Ending:  1/5
Total Score: 10/25






Better Scott Westerfeld Books:

Book Review: The Dreamhunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox (Dreamhunter and Dreamquake)

Summary:

Laura comes from a world similar to our own except for one difference: It is next to the Place, an unfathomable land that fosters dreams of every kind and is inaccessible to all but a select few, the dreamhunters. These are individuals with the ability to catch larger-than-life dreams and relay them to audiences in the magnificent dream palace. People travel from all around to experience the benefits of the hunters’ unique visions.

Now, fifteen-year-old Laura and her cousin Rose, daughters of dreamhunters, are old enough to find out if they qualify to enter the Place. But nothing can prepare them for what they are about to discover. In the midst of a fascinating landscape, Laura’s dreamy childhood is ending, and a nightmare is beginning.

Review:

It took me about 100 pages to get into Dreamhunter.  Once I did, it was a very good read!  The story is unlike any I've ever read before.  I decided to read these books because Stephenie Meyer recommended them.  The imagery is amazing in this series.  I love how Elizabeth Knox creates a world where dreams are the most valued commodity.  The story is set in 1905, which adds to the depth and intrigue of the setting.  The main character is Laura; however her cousin Rose is a major player here too.  This series combines adventure, family relationships, self-awareness and growth, love, and "beating the system" in a wonderful way.  I think I'll enjoy this series even more when I read it for the second time.  I'll definitely be reading more from Elizabeth Knox.

Just One Gripe:

Getting through the first 100 pages or so was a little difficult.  It took a while for me to really start to "get" the story.  Knox just jumps right in and that was confusing at first for me.

The Best Thing About This Series:

The setting and imagery.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes

Score:

Characters:  4/5

Plot:  4/5

Setting/Imagery:  5/5

Originality:  5/5

Ending:  5/5

Total Score:  23/25

Also Recommended:                          

                                                                                                       

Book Review: The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

Summary:

Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley--a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all of that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry--and anyone who reads about him--will find unforgettable.

For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter.

   

Review:

I read this series last year at the urging of a friend.  He insisted that I would like them, and to my intense surprise, I really did!  I had put off reading them because I thought they would be too "kiddie" for a 29 year old.  The first three books are more on a children's level, in my opinion, and I thought them to be pretty simple.  However, after book four the series really starts to take off.  If you've seen the movies but not read the books, know that the books are MUCH better (seriously, when is that not the case?).  By the fifth book I couldn't put them down, and book seven was outstanding.  There's a reason why these books have been a worldwide phenomenon---JK Rowling is an excellent story teller.

 

Just One Gripe:

The ending of book seven was too spare.  I wanted to hear more about them as grown-ups!

 

The Best Thing About This Series:

The originality.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes

 
Score:
Characters:  4/5
Plot:  5/5
Setting/Imagery:  5/5
Originality:  5/5
Ending:  4/5
Total Score:  23/25

 


Also Recommended:

Book Review: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) by Charlaine Harris

Summary:

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana.  She's quiet, keeps to her herself, and doesn't get out much.  Not because she's not pretty.  She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability."  She can read minds.  And that doesn't make her too dateable.  And then along comes Bill.  He's tall, dark, handsome---and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking.  he's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life....

But Bill has a disability of his own:  He's a vampire with a bad reputation.  He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of---big surprise---murder.  And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next....

Review:

Charlaine Harris' first Sookie Stackhouse novel is a strong start to an outstanding series. If you've watched True Blood on HBO but haven't read the series, I would definitely recommend reading the books. They are very different from True Blood, but just as good.

Dead Until Dark is a murder mystery with romance, friendship, and family relationships all in the mix. I like the setting of Louisiana, it's a good mix of reality and fantasy.

As is common with the first novel in a series, this book introduces a lot of characters and gives us a lot of background information. It doesn't move as fast as the other Sookie Stackhouse books, but is still a quick read.  If you read this book and don't find it to be very gripping or compelling, give Living Dead in Dallas, the second Sookie book, a try.  Like so many others, this series gets better with every book.

I've read all of Charlaine Harris' books, including the Aurora Teagarden and Lily Bard series, and find the Sookie novels to be her best work. I just don't like her other heroines as much as I like Sookie.

Just one gripe:

Why did Sookie's parents name her Sookie and give her brother the normal name of Jason? Sookie is a weird name!

The Best Thing About This Book:

Sookie is a strong character who knows herself.  She stands up for herself and knows what she wants.  That makes her endearing, in my opinion.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

No

Score:
Characters:  4/5
Plot:  4/5
Setting/Imagery:  4/5
Originality:  5/5
Ending:  5/5
Total Score:  22/25

Also Recommended:

Sookie Stackhouse

Book Review: The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins

Summary (Book One):

When eleven-year-old Gregor follows his little sister through a grate in the laundry room of their New York apartment, he hurtles into the dark Underland beneath the city. There, humans live uneasily beside giant spiders, bats, cockroaches, and rats—but the fragile peace is about to fall apart.

Gregor wants no part of a conflict between these creepy creatures. He just wants to find his way home. But when he discovers that a strange prophecy foretells a role for him in the Underland's uncertain future, he realizes it might be the only way to solve the biggest mystery of his life. Little does he know his quest will change him and the Underland forever.

Review:

Just like Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid series, I read this series because I loved The Hunger Games (also by Suzanne Collins) so much.  The Underland Chronicles are definitely for younger teens/children.  They are nice little adventure books but are not deep or thought-provoking for adults.  They are fast but enjoyable reads.  I'm glad that I borrowed these from the library because I would definitely not ever reread them. 

Suzanne Collins says on her website that The Underland Chronicles are a parallel to Alice in Wonderland, except instead of falling down a rabbit hole, Gregor falls down a sewer grate in New York and discovers a world underneath the city.  The story is very unique, well-written, and entertaining.  I really enjoyed the series, even though I wasn't sure at the beginning how I'd feel, reading about six-feet tall rats, huge roaches, bats, and more.  Basically, every creature that would live in a sewer, lives in the Underworld and is human-sized or bigger! 

Just One Gripe:

The way this series ends inspired the phrase "a Suzanne Collins ending."

The Best Thing About This Series:

The funny and endearing cast of characters.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes, in fact I recommend this to a younger audience only.

As this is more of a children's series, I am scoring it against other children's series. A five star children's book is not equivalent to a five star adult book, in my opinion.

Score:
Characters:  5/5

Plot:  5/5

Setting/Imagery:  5/5

Originality:  5/5

Ending:  3/5

Total Score:  23/25

The Underland Chronicles were 3.5 star books for me personally, but I am rating them against other children's lit and they deserve 5 stars for that genre.

Also Recommended:

Book Review: Living Dead In Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse #2) by Charlaine Harris

Summary:

Waiting tables, sweeping floors, reading minds and solving mysteries for the undead. It's all in a day's work for Sookie...

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of real bad luck. First, her co-worker gets murdered and no one seems to care. Then Sookie is attacked - and poisoned - late one night by some weird and apparently mythical beast. She only survives because the local vampires roll up and graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it). But in return the blood-suckers need a favor.

Which is why Sookie ends up in Dallas, using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire, on the condition that her undead friends don't do anything, well, vampiric while she's there. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly...

 

Review:

The second Sookie Stackhouse book is even better than the first.  Here we meet some new characters, including werewolves and another telepath.  Sookie has a major run-in with the anti-vampire association The Fellowship of the Sun.  As is par for Sookie books, she gets into trouble, partially gets herself out of trouble, and requires a little rescuing along the way.  Sookie starts to use her telepathy more in this book; although she is forced to do so by the vampires she seems to start to embrace it a little.  Eric starts to show his feelings for Sookie a little more, which is pretty exciting.

Just One Gripe:

I don't think Bill treats Sookie with enough respect.

The Best Thing About This Book:

Eric.  As they used to say on Saved By The Bell, he is so hot he makes my teeth sweat!

Appropriate for a younger audience:

No

Score:
Characters:  5/5
Plot:  4/5
Setting/Imagery:  4/5
Originality:  5/5
Ending:  5/5
Total Score:  23/25
 

Read First:

Book Review: Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #3) by Charlaine Harris

Summary:

Things between cocktail waitress Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill seem to be going excellently (apart from the small matter of him being undead) until he leaves town for a while. A long while. Bill's sinister boss Eric has an idea of where to find him, whisking her off to Jackson, Mississippi to mingle with the under-underworld at Club Dead. When she finally catches up with the errant vampire, he is in big trouble and caught in an act of serious betrayal. This raises serious doubts as to whether she should save him or start sharpening a few stakes of her own...

Review:

This series just keeps getting better.  I'm enjoying the Sookie books more the second time around.  This book takes place almost entirely in Mississippi, and I enjoyed not reading about the ins and outs of Merlotte's.  Club Dead introduces new characters and adds another layer to the story.  One thing I really like about Charlaine Harris' writing is that instead of just writing more books with the same characters she adds in new characters and adds depth to the plot as a whole.  That is nice, especially after just finishing Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid series in which the plot never gets very many layers.  Sookie is starting to stand up for herself and grow up a little.  It's refreshing to read about a character growing and maturing.  There is a lot of action in this book and we get some hints about Eric's feelings for Sookie.  That's all I'll say because you know I hate spoilers.

Just One Gripe:

Come on, Charlaine, can we get through one book without Sookie being beaten to a pulp multiple times?

The Best Thing About This Book:

The ending.  I love it!

Appropriate for a younger audience:

No

Score:

Characters:  5/5

Plot:  5/5
Setting/Imagery:  4/5
Originality:  5/5
Ending:  5/5
Total Score:  24/25

Read First (Series in order):