The Van Alen Legacy: Blue Bloods Book 4 Review

Title: The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods Book 4) 
Author: Melissa De La Cruz 
Publisher: Hyperion Book 
Publication Date: October 6, 2009 
Pages: 384 
My Edition: Hardback 
Reading Level: 9-12 
Where I got it: Library 

Summary from  
Melissa's website:
With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss’s true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry; love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Schuyler has made her choice. She has forsaken Jack for Oliver, choosing human over vampire. But old loves die hard...And even coldhearted Mimi seems to suffer from the ties that bind. Young vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series.

Review:

The Van Alen Legacy is the fourth book of the great Blue Bloods series and is just as good as the first three. I really liked how the chapters change from either Schuyler's, Bliss's, or Mimi's point of view. It was interesting to read about their different adventures and was a pretty smart idea since it wrapped their different stories together. The only thing I didn't like about the book was at several points throughout the book, I was confused because either I didn't read carefully enough and missed something or at some point information was left out.

The characters are well-developed which make them fun to read about, and I love Schuyler and Oliver. I couldn't believe what happens to Bliss, but I wouldn't spoil anything. The Van Alen Legacy is also a little depressing because of the deaths and Silver Bloods attack in Rio from the previous book and some major traumatic events in this sequel. There are many twists, and things I did not see coming. Also, it had a lot more action and less romance.

Once I got midway through, I couldn't stop reading and found myself wanting to finish quickly to find out how it all would end. The ending was very surprising and a total cliff-hanger. I now can't wait to read the next book in the series, Misguided Angels (publication date 2010). The cover is really great, and I love how the black buildings always reflect where the story takes place. Altogether it was a great book, and a nice addition to the series.

Rating:

IMMB (15)

IMMB was started by The Story Siren. In My Mailbox is where I post the books I won, received for review, bought, or borrowed. The book titles are linked to their Amazon pages. These are the books and swag I got this week:

FROM THE LIBRARY:  

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz (Hardback)

RECEIVED FOR REVIEW:

Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus (Hardback from Engleman & Co.)

Walking Backward by Catherine Austen (Paperback from LibraryThing)

WON:

Phantom Island: Wind by Krissi Dallas, postcard, bookmark, and tattoes (Signed Hardback won from TeensReadToo) 

Cold Streak by Lewis Aleman, bookmark, and book sampler (Signed Paperback hosted by La Femme Readers courtesy of Lewsis Aleman)

What great books did you get this week? (leave your links!)

Friday Firsts (8)

The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph.
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title and the author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?

The book I'm currently reading is the Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz. I just started reading it, so I'm not vary far into it yet. I've been dying to read it and finally after being the tenth person on the hold list at the library, I got it...yay! : D I love all the Blue Bloods books and can't wait to devour this one too. This is the first sentence: (it starts off with a sort of intro of a "conversation", but I will just put the first sentence of Chapter 1)

"There had been little time to mourn."

 

This is an okay first sentence. If you have read the first three books and especially the third, this make sense to you but if not, it won't. Since I remember how the last book, Revelations, ended, this does draw me in and make me want to know more. Like I said above, I can't wait to this and find out how everything turns out.

What's your current book's first sentence?

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly awaiting.


This week I CAN"T wait for the Van Allen Legacy!! It is the 4th book in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa De La Cruz and comes out very soon, October 6, 2009. I love the cover of this one!

Summary from Melissa's website:
With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss’s true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry; love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Schuyler has made her choice. She has forsaken Jack for Oliver, choosing human over vampire. But old loves die hard...And even coldhearted Mimi seems to suffer from the ties that bind.
Young vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series.