In My Mailbox (33)

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Briana: So... I did not get any books this week :( I'm really trying to cut back on the buying until I read through a good chunk of them. But, I did get something I've been looking forward to!

My birthday is in a few weeks and this was an early gift because of a great sale. I'll be taking pictures of the books "in my mailbox" rather than just posting pictures of the actual books though :)! What did you guys get in your mailbox? Leave me a link to yours so I can check it out!

(Marisa and Arielle may post later)

Revelations

Melissa de la Cruz

Published 2008

300 pages

Rating: A-

Synopsis (may contain spoilers for those who haven't read the first two books in the Blue Bloods series)

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.

My review

Well I thought Masquerade was good but Revelations just brought things to a whole new level. I regret saying that I never really expected much of the Blue Bloods series but it did impress me and I simply cannot wait for the other books following The Van Alen Legacy to come out! The series is added to my favorites now for sure after this book. The book follows the characters on their ever lasting battle with the Silver Bloods or more particularly, Leviathan and Lucifer. Instead of Italy, the characters travel to Rio de Janeiro where history was made in the Blue Bloods society.

As for the characters, Schuyler, Jack and Oliver become even more tangled together than before and Bliss.. well don't get me started on her ;) I feel like Revelations was a huge turning point in the series. Their were so many secrets that were revealed about the characters, I couldn't believe it!

To finish, the book definitely exceeded my expectations. The twists and turns were never ending and the entire book had my heart racing. I seriously finished it so quickly because it was just that engrossing. My only problem with it would be the short lenght of the novel. Melissa packed everything together that it just all happened too fast for me all at once, especially near the end. Speaking of the end, I was mind boggled by what was discovered about a certain character. I never would of expected that. For those who read the series, I'm sure you know who and what I'm speaking of. Read it! The title of the book says it all.

-Marisa

Pretty Little Liars

Sara Shepard


Published 2007


304 Pages


Rating: A-




Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.

Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.

But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked Pretty Little Liars! Although I felt like some parts of the book were a little unoriginal (maybe a little too much like Gossip Girl), I came out of the book feeling grateful to have bought it.

I kept hearing great things about this book on different kinds of online forums, so after thinking about whether or not this book would be worth the buy, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.

This book had a good amount of steamy scenes, without going overboard with details. I'm not going to lie, a little girl on girl action happens in this book and normally I would be a little "eh" about reading them. I have absolutely nothing against gay/bisexual/transgrender lifestyles, I just wouldn't be that crazy about reading about them because I felt as if I couldn't relate. After I read this book though, I found it to be pretty interesting! It was love shown in a totally different way than what I'm used to knowing and Sara Shepard wrote it in a beautiful way.

The suspense was just right! It kept me reading but I also felt like I had time to breathe in between crazy events. Basically it wasn't too much or wasn't too little.

Everything in this book had such a perfect balance for me and I can't wait to go forward with the rest of this series!

The TV series is starting on June 8th on ABC Family and I can't wait to watch it!!! :)

-Briana

Masquerade

Melissa de la Cruz

Published 2007

320 pages

Rating: B+/A-

Synopsis (may contain spoilers for those who haven't read the first book)

Schuyler Van Alen wants an explanation for the mysterious deaths of young vampires. With her best friend, Oliver, Schuyler travels to Italy in the hope of finding the one man who can help--her grandfather. Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the Four Hundred Ball, an exclusive gala hosted by the city's wealthy, powerful, and unhuman--a true Blue Blood affair.

But it's at the after-party, a masquerade ball thrown by the cunning Mimi Force, that the real danger lurks. Hidden behind the masks is a revelation that will forever change the course of a young vampire's destiny.

Rich with glamour, attitude, and vampire lore, this second installment in the Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsting for more.

My review

After reading Blue Bloods, I was excited to get started on Masquerade. I thought that Blue Bloods was great but Masquerade was even better! It continues right off where Blue Bloods ended, with Schuyler and Oliver running off to Italy for help involving the Silver Bloods mystery. In New York, as said above, Mimi is planning an extravagant masquerade party. Strange things occur at the ball, such as passionate kisses with masked gentlemen. Everything is changing in the Blue Bloods society and not in a good way..

This book was far more enjoyable for me than Blue Bloods. I understand more about the characters now and I really liked the turn in Mimi and Jack's relationship. I wanted to know more about their past lives and Masquerade reveals a lot more not only about them, but about a few other characters' true personalities and qualities. I also loved how Schuyler and Jack's relationship blossomed into something bigger and more exciting. It kept things exciting.

As for the plot, I thought it was fantastic and Melissa de la Cruz included more action, more romance, more mystery, etc. Secrets (that I was dying to know the truth about) surfaced and I was hoping that they would be revealed quickly but obviously you're kept in the dark for awhile to keep things exciting. I thought that everything about the book was very satisfying but I have to admit that it took me awhile to finish the book, for the simple reason that although it was exciting, I just wasn't interested enough for it to keep me up at night, reading whenever possible. But it's not that big of deal since very few books have ever had that impact on me.

I recommend this series to everyone! For those who thought Blue Bloods was just okay, take a chance on Masquerade since it is a great sequel, way better than the first book in the series. It was an awesome read for me. Also, look out for my Revelations review coming up soon!

-Marisa

In My Mailbox (32)

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Briana: I haven't gotten much lately since I was away at school, but in between breaks I did manage to pick up a few goodies.



Devilish by Maureen Johnson

The only thing that makes St. Teresa's Preparatory School for Girls bearable for Jane is her best friend Ally. But when Ally changes into a whole different person literally overnight the fall of their senior year, Jane's suddenly alone--and very confused.

Turns out, Ally has sold her soul in exchange for popularity--to a devil masquerading as a sophomore at St. Teresa's! Now it's up to Jane to put it all on the line to save her friend from this ponytail-wearing, cupcakenibbling demon . . . without losing her own soul in the process.

This book has been on my B&N wishlist since 10/23/08. It's about time I got it huh? I actually went to Borders and saw it for 3 dollars, in hardcover! I couldn't believe it.

Speak Softly, She Can Hear by Pam Lewis

New York City, 1965: Two Manhattan prep school students, Carole and Naomi, make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation. Eddie, a slick Upper East Side dropout, is handsome, fatally charming, and more than willing to help the girls accomplish their goal. But on one bitterly cold holiday weekend in an isolated cabin deep in the Vermont woods, a horrifying twist develops in the plan. Before the night is over, a stomach-turning secret is sealed between friends, setting in motion a series of events that will have dire and far-reaching consequences.

I saw this at the recommended table at Barnes and Noble, and I wanted to buy at least one book in celebration of summer :)





(Marisa and Arielle may post later)

Back for the Summer!

After tons of amazing adventures in college, I'm finally back home. Although I'll miss all of the crazy times at school, I'm so extremely excited to be back with my lovely books and talking about them with all of you! Before I start talking about books, I wanted to show you guys what happened during my school year.

The first exciting thing that happened is I joined a sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha. :) I'm in the top left corner with the Little Red Riding Hood costume on.

Another really exciting thing that happened is... my friends and I bought ducklings! I know it sounds crazy but it was a really spontaneous moment and it was fun hiding them in the dorms for a few weeks :P The one on the top is Lewie, he's mine. The one on the bottom is Chunk, and he's my friend Kim's.

Those are the only big things I actually have pictures of, but it was a good year and I hope yours was good too :)

I'll be posting reviews probably by the end of next week, I have to catch up on my reading big time!

-Briana

Blue Bloods

Melissa de la Cruz

Published 2006

302 pages

Rating: B+

Synopsis

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? Steeped in vampire lore and set against the heady backdrop of the rich, young, and powerful in the heart of New York City, Blue Bloods will be devoured by Melissa de la Cruz's legion fans.

My review

A twist of Gossip Girl and House of Night, this book surprised me with the brilliant story Melissa de la Cruz has created. I'm an avid fan of vampires but to be honest, it does get a bit boring to read the same thing over and over again. That was definitely not the case with this book! It was a whole different take on vampires for me. I loved how they're quite human and civilized, unlike Hollywood's version of a vampire. Blood sucking monsters with no trace of humanity left. The blood suckers in this book are classy, sophisticated, designer wearing socialites. They love attending traditional balls and high class events. Their status is determined by wealth and heritage.

The main character, Schuyler Van Alen is a misfit. Her past is very tangled with secrets and shame. She doesn't wear designer clothes and she hangs out with "losers", her best friend Oliver Hazard-Perry JR. and an outcast Dylan Ward. The three of them form their own group and are scorned by their peers particularly Mimi Force, queen of their school. When Schuyler becomes a Blue Blood she discovers a whole new world. She feels new cravings and is starting to fit in more. Jack Force, Mimi's twin and "soul mate", has even taken a special interest in her and Bliss Llewellyn, Mimi's "best friend" has befriended the trio of misfits. When deaths present themselves in the Blue Blood world, Schuyler joins forces with Oliver, Bliss, Dylan and Jack to figure out who is killing off Blue Blood teens.

I have to admit that I wasn't really sure if I would enjoy Blue Bloods but the book was actually great! It had an amazing plot with characters to relate to and laugh with. The mystery was great and the book kept me guessing till the end. I became fond of Bliss, Dylan and I hate to say this, but I even like Mimi. She's an interesting character and I can't wait to know more about her and Jack's past lives. Speaking of that, I also loved the special powers the vampires had in this book. They were totally different and interesting! I wish Melissa would of included more action and steamy romantic scenes in the story but it was a good book nonetheless.

-Marisa

Jekel Loves Hyde

Beth Fantaskey

Publishing May 2010

288 pages

Rating: B+

Synopsis
Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship. To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

My review

The main character, Jill Jekel, is small, timid and quiet. I loved her. At first, she seems to be very vulnerable and weak but by the end of the book I found her to be courageous and strong. She was very interesting and I felt like I could relate to her, differences aside. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book from her perspective. Speaking of that, I also loved the odd times where the story was being told by Tristen.

That leads me to evil Mr. Hyde himself. Tristen was a very complex and mysterious character. I liked him from the beginning but I never really fully understood who he was. His life is filled with secrets and unanswered questions but as you get deeper enthralled in the mystery of his "curse" things become clearer and secrets are revealed. Him and Jill are like opposite people but yet they're also alike in many ways. Which is why I loved the chemistry (aha) between them.

I really liked Jekel Loves Hyde. From the first page, I was intrigued and wanted to figure out how the story would develop. It had a great plot, full of mystery and I loved how Beth retold a great classic story in a new and exciting way. I love the whole idea.

Although I really enjoyed the book, I feel as though there was something missing. The book felt rushed to me. At the end of the book, everything happened at once in a matter of about five pages. And romance! I feel like there was barely any romance. It was mostly fighting and physical tension. But other than those two minor things, the book was great! Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side is still my preferred book of Beth's but this one did not disappoint either.

-Marisa