Book Review: Misguided Angel

Misguided Angel - Blue Bloods #5

By: Melissa de la Cruz

Published By: Hyperion Books for Children

Release Date: October 2010

Genre: Young Adult

PG: Suitable for ages 12 and up

Source: Library

Misguided Angel is the 5th installment in the Blue Bloods series and I have to say the series is starting to fizzle somewhat for me. I loved the first three books, but the fourth book left me with a sour taste in my mouth. I shook off that notion and eagerly began reading this installment, but I was left with some of the same feelings when I reached the ending of this one. 

The Blue Bloods series is one of the most creative spins I have seen on the vampire myth in some time. I love how Melissa wove the vampire myth into angel lore and historical events such as Roanoke Island and the Croatoan. I thought making the Croatoan the enemy of the Blue Bloods was such a fresh and original idea. However, my high hopes for the series is fading swiftly.

In Misguided Angel, the story bounces around to three distinct story lines. One story line takes the reader back in time to Renaissance Florence. These flashbacks distracted me from the main flow of the story and did little to help me navigate the plot. I actually found them to be more of a nuisance than anything else. Also, since they were so spaced out, I often forgot who people were and had to go back to previous sections to figure out who the characters were in the first place. I typically love these little gems that Melissa includes, but in this installment they left me feeling frustrated. I honestly couldn't figure out why some of the elements even mattered.

The second storyline in Misguided Angel follows Jack and Schuyler as they hunt for the gate to Hell. Their scenes were a combination of James Bond, The Princess Bride, and some kind of cult horror flick all rolled into one in my mind. I felt like the transitions between their storyline and the other two was often disjointed. I also felt like I didn't get enough of either one of them in this novel. Any Blue Blood novel with a limited amount of Jack is sure to rank low with me.

Finally, the third storyline followed Mimi in her role as regent as she tracked down a killer who was burning vampires to death with hell fire. This storyline was by far my favorite of the three, but even it was lacking. I felt like there were huge holes and it moved too quickly. I also felt like in previous books in the series that I was often left guessing the twist up until the last minute, but in this one I knew who the killer was fairly quickly. I was happy to see Oliver get some major attention in this section, but it was not nearly enough to change my opinion of the novel.

Misguided Angel left me feeling like nothing from the previous books had been resolved and I honestly don't feel like it moved the series forward very much. I question whether I want to continue to read future books, but I know that my soft spots for Jack and Oliver will probably win out. However, I wouldn't expect to read any new books in the series anytime soon with so many other amazing reads out there at the moment. I suppose for now Blue Bloods will be towards the bottom of my "To Be Read" list. I ended up giving this book three birdies out of a lingering attachment to the series and a cool cover.

One Last Gripe: Where the heck is Charles Force? I am ready to know where that vampire has gone.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: The Conspiracy Meeting to discuss the tape of Victoria Taylor

Favorite Characters: Jack Force, Oliver Hazard-Perry

Least Favorite Character: All the Renaissance vampires

Summary from Author's Website:

After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the five remaining gates that guard the earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silver Bloods.

Back in New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat. Vampires are being abducted and their captors are planning to burn them alive online…for all the world to see. Help arrives in the form of Deming Chen, a Venator from Shanghai, who must untangle the web of deceptions before the killers strike again.

As the young vampires struggle for the survival of the coven, they uncover a deadly secret, a truth first discovered by Schuyler’s mother during the Renaissance but kept buried for centuries. And as the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler to a terrible choice that will ultimately map the destiny of her heart. 

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