Book Thoughts: Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Blue Bloods
Series: Blue Bloods, Book 1
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: Disney*Hyperion
Format: Paperback
Pages: 302
Source: Purchased

Synopsis: Schuyler Van Alen is confused about what is happening to her. Her veins are starting to turn blue, and she's starting to crave raw meat. Soon, her world is thrust into an intricate maze of secret societies and bitter intrigue. Schuyler has never been a part of the trendy crowd at her prestigious New York private school. Now, all of a sudden, Jack Force, the most popular guy in school, is showing an interest in her. And when one of the popular girls is found dead, Schuyler and Jack are determined to get to the bottom of it.

Schuyler wants to find out the secrets of the mysterious Blue Bloods. But is she putting herself in danger? Melissa de la Cruz's vampire mythology, set against the glitzy backdrop of New York City, is a juicy and intoxicating read.

My Thoughts: This was my third time reading this book, and I still enjoyed it as immensely as I did the 1st time around. De la Cruz offered a very lyrical and in-depth 3rd person POV of the glamorous (and not-so-glamorous) lives of New York's teenaged vampire elite. 

Something I loved, though at times felt was unnecessary, was being told what brand the important characters were wearing. Most of the time I don't really care what brand characters are wearing—any characters in any book—but because these characters are New York elite, they are supposed to be fashionable, and how better to get that across than to include top name designers in your descriptions.

I love the mythology of the whole story, and how all the committees work to keep the Blue Blood identity a secret. I absolutely loved where the book ended, with Sky discovering part of the Van Alen legacy, and deciding what she needed to do, even in the midst of tragedy. 

I give it. . .

Buy it here:

Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Find it on Goodreads.

Shoved Through My Mailslot #8

Shoved Through My Mailslot is a bi-weekly meme here at A Book Lover's Ramblings, it's purpose is to showcase all the books (or bookish items) I got in the mail or bought over a two week period.

Last week: Mail

Rebel came from The Book Depository on Monday.

On Friday, the YA Saves shirt I ordered from DFTBA Records came.

Also on Friday, the books I ordered from Oblong Books & Music came. Last Sunday, Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, and Sarah Rees Brennan had a signing at Oblong in Rhinebeck, NY, and I pre-ordered signed and personalized copies of City of Bones, City of Ashes, Red Glove, The Demon's Lexicon, and The Demon's Covenant.

Last week: Bought

When I went to my local indie, The Bookman, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they actually had a YA section, and it was stocked with fairly-new releases. I picked up Before I Wake, and Cleopatra Confesses, which I think sounds really interesting.

I again stopped in The Bookman, and picked up Uncommon Criminals, because I had just finished Heist Society.

On Wednesday I went to Barnes & Noble to get A Million Suns, but they didn't have it. Instead they had Endlessly, a week early.

Wednesday I special ordered A Million Suns from The Bookman, and it came in on Friday, so I went after work to get it.

This week: Mail

At the beginning of the month I ordered The Book Thief, and it finally came on Wednesday.

This week: Bought

Went to Barnes & Noble after lunch today (that's why this post is late—sorry!), and bought Once.

What did you get shoved through your mailslot in the past two weeks?

Under-Cover Thursdays [2]

Under-Cover Thursdays is a monthly feature that was inspired by One A Day Y.A.'s Under-Cover Sundays. "The idea was to share that extra-special touch publishers sometimes put into a book, under the dust jacket of a hard cover." The third Thursday of every month will be an Under-Cover Thursday, so mark your calendars! :D

This month we have . . .

(Banner links to Goodreads)

The Cover:

This particular book is actually a graphic novel, and I think this cover is very well done.

Under the Cover:

I love that a crescent is under the cover, it fits so perfectly with book.

Close-up:

Disclaimer: The quote in the Under-Cover Thursdays description is taken from One A Day Y.A.'s Under-Cover Sundays.

Shoved Through My Mailslot #7

Shoved Through My Mailslot is a bi-weekly meme here at a Book Lover's Ramblings, it's purpose is to showcase all the books (or bookish items) I got in the mail or bought over a two week period.

Last week: Mail

The week before, I won an ARC of Fins Are Forever + some Just for Fins swag, and I got it on Monday.

On Tuesday, I received a necklace I ordered awhile ago. The necklace is made from the covers of hardback books, which is why I'm including it in STMM.

Last week I won a signed The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer from Midnyte Reader, and it came on Thursday!

A week or two ago I participated in the #BlueBloodsCoverHunt on Twitter, and I was a runner up so I won a signed copy of Lost in Time. It came on Friday along with some unexpected goodies, two Silver Blood pouches and a poster for Cinda Williams Chima's upcoming The Crimson Crown.

At the beginning of the week I ordered Beauty for reasons I can't remember, but I'm super excited it came.

Last week: Bought

When I went to B&N Tuesday for Team Human they didn't have it in, yet, so I got Journey to the Fringe instead.

On Wednesday, because everyone in my family was off work for Independence Day, we went to Grand Rapids and stopped at Barnes & Noble where I was able to get my hands on Team Human, The Near Witch, Ruby Red, and a signed The Goddess Test.

Thursday I went, again, to B&N where I got Eve and Juliet Immortal.

This week: Mail

I ordered Finding Sky and Stealing Phoenix a couple weeks ago, and they finally came.

  

For Blood Moon's release Alyxandra Harvey gave away stickers and tattoos to anyone who sent in a picture of themselves with their copy of the book. (Left pic is my entry)

Awhile ago I entered in a giveaway at Mrs. ReaderPants for a signed ARC of Sweet Shadows, and I won. The book came on Saturday.

This week: Bought

I went to Schuler's Books on Tuesday and found Vampire Academy, Shadow Kiss, and The Coffin Club with their original covers in the used books section. I'm so happy I found them! Awhile ago I found VA #2, Frostbite, with it's old cover in my local used bookstore, and have been looking for VA and SK ever since.

On Friday I went to Barnes & Noble and bought Heist Society and the House of Night: Legacy graphic novel.

  

Saturday I went to my local used bookstore and found Weetzie Bat and Kiss of Life.

A very large haul for the last two weeks. Wasn't expecting it to be this big. :D

What did you get shoved through your mailslot in the past two weeks?

Clockwork Princess Cover Reveal!!

The cover was revealed here after Simon & Schuster made us work for it. The tag #ClockworkPrincess had to be tweeted 30,000 times before the full cover was revealed, but with every tweet a small piece of the cover was unveiled. It was less than two hours between when Cassandra Clare blogged about how to reveal the cover, and the full cover reveal. Along the way #ClockworkPrincess was a #1 Worldwide trending topic on Twitter. Below is all of The Infernal Devices covers together.

I absolutely LOVE Clockwork Princess's cover, and I love them all together, too!

Shoved Through My Mailslot #6

Shoved Through My Mailslot is a bi-weekly meme here at a Book Lover's Ramblings, it's purpose is to showcase all the books (or bookish items) I got in the mail or bought over a two week period.

Last week: Mail

I'm apart of the Just for Fins "Splash Team", so Tera sent me bookmarks and tattoos to hand out and spread the word about Just for Fins. I also got a Splash Team Official Member pin.

Last week: Bought

  

Went to B&N on Tuesday to get Blood Moon for a contest the author, Alyxandra Harvey, was having. (I mean, the contest is why I went on Tuesday, instead of Thursday, when I get coupons.) While I was there I decided to also pick up Siren.

  

I went to a flea market on Sunday, and at the book tent I found a brand-new copy of The Hobbit and a slightly-used copy of A Game of Thrones for only $5, so I just had to get them.

This week: Mail

I ordered Fins Are Forever because I wanted to be able to go straight from ending Forgive My Fins to starting Fins Are Forever. When I was taking the pictures for this post, I took FAF's dust jacket off, only to discover that there were TWO jackets on it, both for FAF (below).

This week: Bought

I didn't buy any books this week.

I had a pretty good two weeks, though I suspect the next STMM will be packed full. :D

What did you get shoved through your mailslot in the past two weeks?