Book #51: Bloody Valentine

Title: Bloody Valentine (a companion book to the Blue Bloods series)

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Date started reading: April 05, 2012
Date finished reading: April 05, 2012

Publish date: December 2010
ISBN: 978-1423134497
Number of pages: 160

Official summary: "Vampires have powers beyond human comprehension: strength that defies logic, speed that cannot be captured on film, the ability to shapeshift and more. But in matters of the heart, no one, not even the strikingly beautiful and outrageously wealthy Blue Bloods, has total control. In Bloody Valentine, bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz offers readers a new story about the love lives of their favorite vamps - the passion and heartache, the hope and devastation, the lust and longing. Combined with all the glitz, glamour, and mystery fans have come to expect, this is sure to be another huge hit in the Blue Bloods series." (http://melissa-delacruz.com)

Official book trailer:

How I obtained the book: Bought for $3.24 at used book store

Memorable quotes:

• "Schuyler was in every part of his soul, in his blood; she was as necessary to him as his skin. He could not let go." ~ Oliver
• "Sometimes Allegra just wanted to experience life as it happened, without the burden of her entire immortal history on her shoulders -- she was only sixteen years old -- at least, in this lifetime." 
• "That was new. A Red Blood offering to teach an immortal vampire new tricks. Charlie would sneer. Allegra shook her head."
• "Jack Force was more than (Schuyler) had ever dared wish for, and he was better than a dream or a fantasy because he was real. He was far from perfect, moody and distant at times, and burdened with a sharp temper and an impulsiveness that was part of his dark nature. But she felt more love for him than she thought possible. He wasn't perfect, but he was perfect for her."

My commentary:

• The concept of this tiny book kind of annoys me. There are three short stories in it, which could have easily been included in the regular books, but instead they put them into a book by themselves. It's mostly a ploy to get more money out of the series' fans. A lot of book series seem to be having companion books lately. The publishers do it for the money but mostly because it works. I mean, I bought the book right? They knew that fans would buy this book because it includes Jack and Schuyler's "bonding"/wedding. 
• It also annoys me because the book is used as a way to introduce witches who become the focus of the spin-off series "Witches of East End." I like that a witch helped Oliver overcome his heartbreak over Schulyer and Jack's love, but I find it kind of crappy that at the end of their story there is a note promoting the spin-off series. (The page also includes a weird recipe for scrambled eggs that are supposedly enchanted with a magical spell)
• In addition to the wedding story and the Oliver/witch story, the book includes the story about how Schulyer's mother met her human father back in the 1980's. I was somewhat surprised by how it all went down.

Buy on Amazon.com: Bloody Valentine (A Blue Bloods Book) (Blue Bloods Novel)