Blue Bloods (Melissa de la Cruz, 2006)
I picked up a galley for the sequel to this book at Midwinter, so I decided to start at the beginning. Blue Bloods is the story of teens who find out they're really vampires. De la Cruz created a completely new version of the vampire myth based on the fall of Lucifer and weaves in colonial U.S. history. The religious and historical themes made the story come alive; I really believed in the universe de la Cruz created for her characters and story. These vampires feed on humans, or Red Bloods, but don't kill them or make them into vampires. Schuyler, the protagonist, is sixteen, a misfit at her exclusive prep school, and just found out she's a Blue Blood. I liked that idea that, as in our reality, Blue Bloods are those born into nobility, but with the added dimension of being vampires.
Of course, there has to be a bad guy. We learn that there is an uber-race of vampires called Silver Bloods, who feed on Blue Bloods and kill them. Of course Schuyler decides to try to figure out where Silver Bloods came from and who might be one in disguise. In addition to the vampire stuff, there's a lot on the standard rich teens in Manhattan themes: drinking, fashion, nightclubs, love affairs. It's a fun soap opera with a gothic twist. It's also an ALA Quick Picks top ten book.
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