'Blue' moon

I think I should start this by reminding you all that supernatural teen romances/intrigues aren't really my cup of tea. And I know that I'm not really in this series' demographic. I picked this book up because the (relative) mature tone of its prequel impressed me, and it's not often that I stick with a series.

Schuyler Van Alen is in a precarious position. Her grandfather has been made Regis of the Blue Bloods, and now wields the power to stop the evil Silver Bloods from gaining strength. But the previous Regis, Charles Force, has used his last bit of power to adopt Schuyler in an attempt to keep her separated from not only her grandfather, but her best human friend Oliver. Now that Schuyler is living under the roof of her hated enemy, the powerful Mimi, and her biggest love, the noble Jack, she's never been more torn. Meanwhile, her friend Bliss is coming into her own, learning how to use her vampire power and discovering that her parents are hiding secrets from her. When an old friend returns into their lives, they realize that trouble is brewing. And as the bond ceremony between Mimi and Jack draws closer, Schuyler begins to lose hope that she and Jack will ever be together. For each vampire has a role to play, and none of them yet know who will end up on the opposing team.

I appreciate what de la Cruz is trying to do with her convoluted story about young vampires in love and lust. A clear theme of fate versus free will evolves as everyone starts to understand their responsibilities. Schuyler pines for Jack, who we are to assume feels the same way about her, even though he and Mimi were literally made for each other. Bliss feels very attached to her younger sister, the black sheep of the family, but then it's revealed that she has a different sort of purpose. I just wish that the story had a better flow and the prose matched the excitement of the unfolding melodrama/mystery. The whole thing feels like it was cut and pasted in parts, and I feel like there was more potential for de la Cruz to flesh out the story. I still like Schuyler, even with her burdensome love triangle, because she at least regains her sense of purpose. Bliss shows a lot of growth in this go-around, taking charge while still being considerate and kind (she and I agree about Jack being a nonentity). Oliver gets a little more page time here, and even if he seems a little to Nice Guy-ish, at least he has a personality. Mimi continues to puzzle me, as her destiny is quite important, but it requires wisdom, leadership skills, and maturity - qualities she doesn't possess. The ending is pretty crucial, and were it not for the flat prose and droopy pacing, it would have packed a greater punch. As it is, there are even more cliffhangers to be had, but a careful reader can make something of the hints we get.

I don't know if I really want to spend the energy hunting down the next book, but we'll see. Rating: 3.5 trips to Rio out of 5.