Book review
Written by Melissa de la Cruz
Atom paperback
Release date Out now

Shuyler Van Alen struggles to fit in with her glamorous schoolmates – until she finds out she’s part of a secret elite group of vampires. But her discovery is not all sweetness and light. The Blue Bloods may be beautiful, rich and powerful, but now they’re being murdered…

‘Gossip Girl meets Twilight’ was presumably the pitch for this latest young adult vampire series. Though many will no doubt groan at the thought of another Twilight wannabe, Blue Bloods actually turns out to be a fresh and interesting twist on the formula.

Bold, bubbly and highly addictive, this will leave you gasping for the next instalment – and probably desperate to embark on a lengthy shopping spree for designer clothes. This is a coming of age story with a vampire twist, stitched together by a love of style and fashion. Melissa de la Cruz’s funny and flirty prose effortlessly captures the essence of these fabulous youngsters who flaunt designer labels at their exclusive prep school by day and rule trendy Manhattan nightclubs by night.

The lively and chatty narration makes for engaging easy-reading and the plot quickly develops from teen angst to supernatural murder most horrid. The plot isn’t especially complex, but de la Cruz delightfully portrays the struggles of growing up, while artfully weaving original vampire mythology into the story.

If you’re after sex-fuelled urban fantasy or vampire eroticism, this isn’t it. But if you prefer a light-hearted vampire drama with plenty of giggles and glitz, then this is a must-read. Cassandra Zoro

VERDICT: 8/10
Highly addictive teen tale about a vampire glitterati.