"Never trust a shiny surface. They hide a multitude of flaws."
My Thoughts:
The quote above is BEYOND perfect for this book. On the outside, it's all like "woo, pretty mask," but then you read it and you don't even know how it got published. That cover is hiding a multitude of flaws. Seriously, there's so much wrong with this book. I'm going to break this review down into fun little sections.
The Plot
Despite what the synopsis would have you believe, Schuyler's grandfather plays a minimal role. Her entire visit with him in Venice is over by page 66, and not all of those pages were Schuyler's POV. The second major plot point, the Four Hundred Ball, lasts 23 pages, and is over by page 124. So what happens the rest of the book? It becomes a big ball of random. We're all just bopping around doing teenage things and then- WHAT'S THAT?? Oh someone almost died, let's PARTAYYYYYY. Further following the synopsis, the antagonist is obvious. Even the plot twist about the antagonist is predictable.
The Writing
The time progression is really unclear, but it seems to skip many weeks between chapters. POV also switches completely randomly and with no warning within chapters. One second you're reading it from Schuyler's POV, next line you're reading from Bliss's POV. Some little irks are the songs that are quoted inline with dialogue, which just comes across really awkwardly. Then there's weird flashbacks within narration. Something is reflected upon and then it says "she had visited her mother for guidance" and details that event before jumping back to present. It's weird and disrupts the flow.
The Stupidity
"You're her only chance. They will destroy her."
Suddenly, Schuyler understood what was at stake. This wasn't a game the Conclave was playing. This wasn't make-believe or a play put on for their amusement.[...]
Mimi was going to burn.
Schuyler looked askance at Jack. Your sister tried to destroy me! She wanted me dead-taken by a Silver Blood! How can I...
But she knew what she had to do. This was the sign she had been seeking all along. She looked deep into Jack's anxious green eyes.
"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "I'll do it."
Mimi takes things too far and does some dark magic to get rid of Schuyler. Mimi is supposed to be super evil and while her trial and sentence feels like justice, it all happens far too quickly. Immediately after it's over we go back to talking about Schuyler and Jack's love. Then we find out that only our super special snowflake Schuyler can save Mimi (at great personal risk) and everyone wants her to do it. To maybe sacrifice herself after Mimi tried to kill her. WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING?? She's obviously not innocent so I'm not sure why there's any question. She deserves to be punished for attempted murder. Mimi is also an insufferable brat about Schuyler saving her but that's not even my biggest problem with this book, so whatever.
Slut Shaming
"I kind of wish I had waited. I don't know, I just felt like doing it. You know? Because Mimi talks about it all the time - and all those other girls, they always brag about their familiars. And I felt like such a stupid, I don't know, virgin or something."
"So what was it like?" Schuyler asked.
"Honestly?"
"Yeah."
"It was awesome. It's like you devour their soul, Schuyler. I could taste his...being.[...]"
Bliss's Sacred Kiss was losing her virginity. She says she wishes she had waited but people brag all the time about it and she felt like such a virgin so she just did it. She thought she was the only one who hadn't done it and it was amazing. Jack also tells us it's not supposed to be taken lightly - it's a big deal on both sides. Schuyler has yet to do it and comes across as innocent. Bliss tells her to make sure the guy counts because you feel a connection with that person afterwards. What a beautiful chaste message we are given.
Mimi, on the other hand, routinely sucks 3 or more guys at a time and we know she is Bad News because only bad people
Special Snowflake Schuyler
Schuyler spends most of her time pining for Jack and very little doing vampire related things. She travels across the world to model, she flirts with random guys, she gets drunk on a tropical beach. When we get around to the actual vampire stuff, it's her grandfather starting her vampire training that no one else has ever had. She's 3 days in and can do everything so perfectly. She learns how to read minds on the first try, although she can't break through mind walls yet (Bella?). At least only her catatonic mom can do a blood trial - no, wait, she can too even though she's some weird blend of human and vampire. As though we're supposed to believe NO vampire has ever pregged a human...right.
Summary:
First of all, Schuyler does NOT want an explanation about the mysterious deaths of young vampires. The one man that can help, her grandfather, actually does not help at all. There is no danger at the masquerade's after-party, just kissing. There is no revelation that changes the course of a young vampire's destiny, just some more convenient endings. I'm really glad I don't have to read the next one.