The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz

     

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz is the fourth installment of the hugely popular vampire series Blue Bloods.  I had the prior three novels in the series (Blue Bloods, Masquerade, and Revelations) on my bookshelf for quite some time and hadn't read them yet.  I picked up the first one and read it and it was so awesome that I read through all three books in two days!  I couldn't wait to get The Van Alen Legacy!  Let me just say.....This book ROCKED!

From the book jacket:

"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."

My Thoughts:

In the fourth installment, we find our favorite vampires facing a major turning point.  Sides are being chosen and everything and everyone is not what it appears to be.  Bliss is dealing with the revelation of her destiny and Schuyler and Oliver are on the run from those who should be protecting them!  We get a lot more insight into Mimi's character in this book.  I was pleased to find that she may not be the superficial fashonista bitch-vamp that I always thought she was.  There are also secrets  finally revealed about Schuyler's destiny and her connection to the Blue Blood world.

I think the story behind the series is fresh and original.  I love the fact that the vampires are actually fallen angels who have been doomed to live their lives on Earth as punishment for turning their backs on God and following Lucifer in a battle for Heaven.  This installment delves a little further into Allegra Van Alen's (a.k.a Gabriel) story.  She has been in a coma-like state since the start of the series and we FINALLY get some answers to questions about Allegra, her connection to Bliss and her relationship with Schuyler.  Schuyler is once again tormented and torn by her love for Jack and devotion to Oliver, while Mimi begins to realize that she may never truly have Jack's heart and endeavors on a journey that tests her beliefs and sense of duty.  There is plenty of action, suspense and romance in the pages of this book.  I tore through it in a day!  As I mentioned before, questions were answered, but by the end of the book I had many more!!  I look forward to the next book in the series and I am also excited about her new series for adults about witches!