White Nights

The New Blue Bloods Coven #2

by Melissa de la Cruz

THIS IS AN UNEDITED FIRST DRAFT RELEASED BY THE AUTHOR DUE TO FAN REQUESTS. THE PUBLISHER CANCELED THE SERIES, NOT THE AUTHOR.

In this next installment from beloved author, Melissa de la Cruz, the Vampires of Manhattan series continues on at a breathless pace.

Oliver Hazard-Perry, once leader of the Coven, is now a broken man and enlists the help of his friends Jack Force and Schuyler Van Alen to redeem himself and search for his lost love, Finn Chase, who has disappeared into the sophisticated streets of Stockholm. Meanwhile, back in the city, venators Ara Scott and Edon Marrok's investigation into a surge of Nephlim (those dangerous half-human, half demons) activity has come to a dead end. As quickly as they arrived, the Nephilim have all mysteriously disappeared from New York. Where did they go? And does the answer lie in the hidden caverns and remote glaciers of the Scandinavian peninsula?

As the sun stretches summer days into white nights, the loyal crew encounters its most devastating trial yet, one that brings everything they believe into question and everything they love into danger.

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.

Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.

She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.

Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[V Valencia · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOTE TO THE AUTHOR:
I really liked this series. I was really upset that Melissa de la Cruz decided to scrap it or whatever she decided to do. If this really is the last book in the series, she really needed to end it by summing up what happened to everyone. Jack and Schuyler, Edon and Ara, Kingsley and Mimi, and Oliver and Finn. It just seems to me that the author had no heart in this project anymore. And apparently this is not the only series she's decided to scrap. If your readers are whats important to you, you should think about them following your stories instead of pissing them off by doing things like this. Because of this I have taken this author off of my to read lists. To think that you are waiting for the next book to come out only to find out that its not coming out. It's disheartening to say the least. I understand that she has other series and projects to contend with, but please keep your readers in mind. These are the people that keep you going. Without followers you're just someone writing books.

[Nasty Lady MJ]

Would be imprudent to read at this point, see review for first one. The characters no longer resemble their original self and the plot has gotten OTT ridiculous. Plus, I don't like characters who enjoy the smell of BO.

Update: So apparently this is never going to be published. Well, all of it isn't. The author is releasing part of the book for a small fee (for a good cause, but still) per her blog. Honestly, I'm sort of disgusted this is like the fourth series de la Cruz has dropped and it's really sort of crappy for fans. But whatever. Just wanted to post this update for any fan who was anxiously awaiting this book that will not really come to being.

[Tierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Kept Secret

This is the best kept unedited sequel ever. I hope there is another draft. Going back to my favorite characters as adults and parents in the Blue Blood world has been amazing. I hope Melissa does another one.

[Carrie Doss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice edition to the Blue Bloods universe, it’s cool to see the original characters all grown up! YA readers be aware that there is more violence and adult themes than in previous books. Also, this book is definitely unedited so don’t be shocked when typos appear. Despite this, I still love our Blue Bloods and hope this series can be finished one day!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you leave me with an ending like that?!
I loved it.

[xmazcarroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ rounded down because Oliver and Ara annoyed me. Also i’m very confused how this fits with the main series since it’s been extended with after life and after death, so at least that will be interesting going forward.

[Natasha Chapin · Rating 5 out of 5]

~~~~POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD~~~~

Book~ White Nights: A Vampires of Manhattan Novel
By- Melissa De La Cruz

💜💜💜💜

To start I must say that upon reading White Nights you must go into it knowing that this book is an unedited first draft that Mrs. De La Cruz self published. For reasons unknown to me the publisher decided to cancel their contract for this book series after the first book in the spinoff series and so the amazing author decided to release what she could for the fans that are loyal to her and the series...so let's dive in and get to this review!!
We once again join Oliver, Schuyler, Jack, Mimi, and all our favorite characters in the sequel to Vampires of Manhattan(the spinoff to The Blue Bloods series) immediately following the events of the first book in the series. Oliver is now on the hunt to find Finn Chase, his one true love whom was once mortal but using silver blood poisons tricked Oliver into making her immortal. Oliver hope to find Finn and believes he can redeem her and save her from Lucifers influence, however he is also being hunted by venators and an unknown evil as he travels the globe hoping to find his love.
Jack Force and his wife Schuyler Van Allen are now living their happily ever after in wine country California with their twins, Lily and Sy. However when thing on their beautiful vineyard start to go ary, they begin to realize that a new evil has begun to seep back onto Earth, from Hell. Jack and Sky are forced to leave their home and go back to New York to fight this new war.
Mimi Force is the newest Regis of the Manhattan coven while her husband, Kingsley Martin serves as the Chief Venator to the coven. Mimi and Kingsley agree to house Jack's twins so that Jack and Schuyler can hunt down the silver bloods and demons entering this world through a new doorway in Stockholm Sweden. However the covers plans to fight back evil, once again, run into complications when Jack and Schuyler's daughter is kidnapped and everyone must rush against the clock to find and save the young girl and stop Lucifers evil from spreading.

I loved this book so much and have absolutely cherished every second of this series from the first Blue Bloods book to this last installment. As you will notice however I did give this book 4/5 hearts this all came down to a few things for me. First some of the book was slow going, a few areas due to grammar errors and others being a bit difficult to follow. Also given the publishing issues with this book and the possibility that it is the last we will see of our favorite vampire coven I wish that we had seen a richer ending that tied up loose ends gave happy endings where they were do and bring a finalization to the series such as is it truly deserved. However the end felt rushed and not a true ending as much as it was an opening to another sequel that we may never see. So with this I give my plea to the amazing Mrs. De La Cruz,

Please find a way to continue this series as I for one am not ready to say goodbye to the world of vampires and angels, to the Blue Bloods and The Vampires of Manhattan. I yearn to see the truly developed and satisfying ending this series so deserves. If this book becomes but a stop on the way to the real and true finalization of the series I will gladly raise my rating to a 5/5!!

[AllBookedUp · Rating 1 out of 5]

As everyone is racing to catch Finn Chase to stop her, we hear of an old prophecy in which Lucifer will have a White Queen of the Silver Bloods who is a key role in his plans to win the war. As the summer days sun stretches into white nights, Oliver Hazard-Perry and the gang encounter its most devastating battle yet. They may have won the previous battle against the Silver Bloods but they didn’t win the war.

Will broken-hearted Ollie find his once love, Finn? Can he recapture her heart and return her soul? Can Ollie reclaim his coven and go back to his glory days? Will he stop being hunted? Everything is laid out on the line of true vs truly evil.

My take is, this is an unedited, final version of The New Blue Blood series and the ending was unsatisfying. Considering Ms. de La Cruz has no plans to revisit this series, it’s felt as though she just made a half attempt to finish it off yet not give it a complete ending. There are still questions that need closure. Does this mean she will one day revisit it and therefore “finish” it? Highly doubtful but one could hope. Then again, after reading this book after waiting for so many years, I’m feeling very cheated and disappointed. Totally disappointed with the lack of development of any of the characters, considering I once upon a time adored this series. Too bad Ms. de La Cruz was so over it and wrote a half attempt book. Shame on her for doing this to her Blue Blood fans. Wasted my time. 1 out of 5 stars. The one is only because she made an attempt to "finish" The New Blue Blood series.

[Andy Kornylo · Rating 4 out of 5]

See full review for White Nights at: https://toomanybooksnotenoughshelves....

I’ve been waiting on this book for the last four years and let me tell you what a harrowing wait it was. I mean, there were delays in publication, then there was the announcement that due to low sales of VoM the publisher wasn’t going to publish it. And then I caught de la Cruz’s Goodreads update that she was publishing the first draft on Amazon where all proceeds went to YALLWEST. Let me tell you when I found that out I was online within a few hours and purchasing it. I’ve been wanting to know what happens next to our characters and…

Look. It’s hard to review a first draft. I can tell things were rushed through, that the ending was just to give us a happy ending for these characters. That being said…I was disappointed that Mimi and Kingsley weren’t in this novel all that much.

[Mo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picking up where the last book left off, Schuyler and Jack have joined the fight against the Nephilim, deciding to come out of retirement to help Oliver and Mimi get the Coven right on track. Things are going well until Jack and Schuyler’s child is thrown into the mix? Will they be able to stop the Nephilim once and for all, or will the loss of their child signal the beginning of the end?

You know what they say, be careful what you wish for. After the Blue Blood series ended, I was so excited for the series to restart with the Vampires of Manhattan. My one critique of that book was that it was missing Schuyler and Jack. In this book, we did get more Schuyler and Jack but not in the way I expected. Schuyler and Jack had a burning kind of love that surpassed every other relationship in the series. Jack broke his bond with his eternal bondmate, Mimi to be with Schuyler. She sacrificed him to defeat Lucifer. There was so much passion in their relationship with the secret trysts they had to keep their relationship hidden, to when they could finally be together. None of that was witnessed in this book. In the previous book, Mimi and Kingsley had sex often, as did Oliver and Finn. I expected Schuyler and Jack to do the same but nope. They cuddled! Cuddled! No sex, very little intimacy is shown between them, and they just didn’t seem to be on the same page throughout the story. Every hunch that Schuyler had ended up being correct, and Jack took his sister Mimi’s word over his wife’s. It frustrated me because that’s not what Jack would/should have done. I expected so much more from their relationship.

Along with Jack and Schuyler being caricatures of their former selves, Edon and Ara were also completely different this book. I don’t remember a ton about them from the series, but I know they did a complete 180 from their selves in the previous book from this series. Edon is known as an all powerful wolf. He wasn’t really a romantic, but he was passionate. He was smart. In this book, he is a love-sick puppy version of himself. Although Ara treats him like literal dog shit (pun intended), he still follows behind her begging for scraps of her affection. Ara has always been feisty, but this book took that to an entirely new level. For one, she smelled! I hated that the author continued to write her funky smell into an integral part of her personality. Why didn’t this girl want to shower? Even her lover, Edon, complains that he knows she had the same clothes on for weeks without washing them. I thought it was disgusting. She was also volatile in thie sstory. I understood she was reeling from the fact that she had to kill her former lover, Sam, but she was all out hostile for no reason. She would pick fights with people, not listen to instructions, and she would yank Edon around by the collar. One minute she would love him, the next she’d hate him and be upset that he did some trivial thing that “crossed” her. I was just so annoyed that they bickered the entire story, and then in the end, Edon sees her fighting and is ecstatic that she’s alive after being treated like shit the entire story. There was just no progression in their relationship.

Lastly, the plot in this story didn’t make a lot of sense. The gist was that Lucifer had reared his ugly head and his Nephilim spawn were back. I just didn’t understand the point. Schuyler didn’t just send Lucifer back to hell, she killed him I thought. So how was it that he was able to create another opening on earth to come back? And even his Nephilim spawn, what was their point in existing? Lucifer was always strategic in what he did, nothing was done by accident. I just didn’t see the point in corrupting a human conduit to do his dirty work, along with a formerly human Finn. What would that solve? Why was it important to have Schuyler’s child and raise her as a demon child? She had no powers! There were also plot points that didn’t make sense. There is one scene where a human conduit out fights a vampire, and I just wondered, how? Vampires have super strength, how could a human out fight them? Just like Oliver the entire book was scared shitless, and I’m like dude you’re a vampire! Why are humans scaring you? And he acted like he had no strength at all. He too, was one of the characters who completely changed. Oliver was usually clear-headed, smart, and strategical. In this book, he lacked all his former attributes, and was pretty much a coward. He was going to kill himself at the end! Like what?

I know people said this was the un-edited version of the second story of the series, but it needs a lot of work. I was very disappointed, and I’m even more disappointed that the series has been scrapped, and there will not be another book to redeem the story.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how to rate this book because I have been such a fan of the series. It feels like I have been waiting forever for the book to be released, and I must admit I was a bit disappointed. I had noticed reviews on Amazon mentioned the issue with grammar/spelling along with some other minor problems and I agree, there were a lot of issues in this area. It was almost as if the book was rushed to be completed as an after thought. I thought the storyline was good, but I was also a little disappointed with how it ended because it left me with unanswered questions and after the long wait for this book, I highly doubt if there will be a third book. I just wanted and expected more. I have been a fan of this series from the start and was so happy when the first Vampires in Manhattan novel was released. It is still worth reading despite everything I mentioned.

[Kimmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be a fan of Melissa De La Cruz’s work. Each book I have read from her never disappoints. This is the first draft of its sequel due to the publishers not wanting to pick it up for the continuation.
Oh how I wish it did.
This storyline follows Oliver Hazard Perry on the search for his beloved Finn Chase. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with Oliver but to see him standing on his own I wanted to see what he could do.
I absolutely love how they brought back Schulyer and Jack as well as Kingsley and Mimi. I really wish the storyline could’ve been expanded more and the ending felt incredibly rushed but that is always what gets cleaned up after a the first draft.
My hope is that one day the author will come back to this story and give it the attention it deserves. Because the blue bloods series is amazing and I will always support its cast.

[Danielle Bouchard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to love it like I loved the others...

I understand the situation, the Publisher cancelled the book so it did not have its full essence like the previous collection. I was very happy to see the characters in action again and so grateful that the author along with her fans pushed to get it published. It was just so sad how it turned out. Spoiler, the ending wasn’t fitting. It was so abrupt I feel pain down the back of my throat as I grieve for the rest. What happens to Ara and Edon, and Finns fate in the vampire world? Where does the coven go from there? How does it really end?

I wish it didn’t have to end like this.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading Melissa De La Cruz's Blue Bloods series in high school (2010). Quarantine helped me realize I never finished the original series. After buying and reading the last book of Blue Bloods, I discovered that she had written Vampires of Manhattan and it's sequel, White Nights.

As an adult, I found the writing lacking, but I adored the story concepts and I remembered the fondness I had for the characters as a teen. Unfortunately this is an unedited sequel that has no continuation in sight.

The book ends with not quite a cliffhanger, but definitely no closure worthy of the last book of a series that I cherished. I didn't even realize the last page was the last page.

[CARISSA E · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT THE HELL KIND OF ENDING WAS THAT! It was like the end of The Soprano's, it just stops. Would it have killed her to write just one more chapter! Though I did enjoy this book after waiting for it to come out for what felt like forever, I was VERY disappointed by the ending. Though Kingsley was mentioned many times, we never got to hear from him. I had hoped for a little closure on Edon and Ara, some chapters in Kingsley's point of view, a better ending, and I had also hoped for a little bit of Bliss and Lawson.

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

After an epic betrayal Oliver is on the run. Jack and Schuyler's family is put in danger. Ara is trying to deal with betrayal and proving herself again. Everyone is concerned about an upcoming war.
Even though this was an unfinished first draft I really enjoyed it. The one problem I had with this story was a little to focused on the built up with little payoff at the end. I still didn't fully understand the motive for the villains. I would have been interesting to see where this story went from here.

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cliff on this, I want to say so much, but I don't want to say too much and be spoilery though other than some character's need to make better choices. I hope she finishes this because I don't want to be hanging her for this forever.

Jack's quote of saying that you will always see the face of the person you fell in love with at that stage as they age. I am paraphrasing but that will stick with me.

[Jacinthe Bourbonnais · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is the proof that more characters doesn't mean better story telling. I wished the author would've kept her focus on the POV characters (Finn, Oliver, Araminta, Mimi, Kingsley) from the first novel and expand on their storylines, rather than introducing too many characters (and too many POVs). They didn't bring much to the table, but a forced twists and climax. At least, the story is focus on one location, instead of having the characters jumping around the globe.

[Tamarra Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

To have waited so long for this book to come out, well I can say it was so well worth the wait! Brilliant read, was disappointed with the ending though, could have done better, great storyline, same beloved characters, mature in their roles as adults. Hope to see more from Melissa de la Cruz in this series!

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm disappointed with this ending, definitely felt rushed and I was surprised to see that it was the first edition unedited. I guess I just wanted more, especially when it was getting closer to the end, I kept thinking how is this going to be wrapped up and I'm left with the feeling of disappointment over it. Not how I would have wanted this series to be left to close.

[Reaves Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's Next??

At the end, does Oliver pass away?? What happens next?? Is Finn Chase really suddenly, and unexpectedly loving again? I mean, isn't she a Silver Blood, the opposite of the Blue Bloods who are supposed to be the "angelic good guys"?! And, how does Sky and Jack and Mimi react to all this?? I'm one of the fans, so I humbly ask for more.

[Zaquira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the Blue Bloods series and this sequel is a little lacking. After waiting for it for so long it just wasn't up to par with the others. That said I'm curious to see if there's going to be another installment.

[Melissa Rumble · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay but wtf kinda ending was that? I know this book was a non edit version and only released to satisfy fans.. but if that's the case, why not give us an actual ending? I felt like it ended mid sentence.

[donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I waited so long to read this that I forgot what had happened before. I forgot Oliver was no longer human and that Schuyler and Jack had kids. Regardless it was good to immerse in the world again. Loved seeing Mimi again even if brief.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know the precursor is that this was an unedited book but OH MAN WAS IT EVER AN UNEDITED BOOK. Officially the lowest rating I've ever given a book, I wouldn't have read it if not for our nostalgia book club.

[Charlotte Hodrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredible story but the characters need their endings of the future

[Tracy Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had me guessing up until the end. The end was abrupt and doesn’t tell you what happens to the characters. Will there be another book?

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book I have ever read! The end was BEYOND rushed and very stupid!!!! do not wast your time on this book series.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book could have had so much potential. It draws the reader in and it's really great, but the ending was rushed and there could've been more to offer. I was disappointed in the ending.

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

when god sings with his creations, will a conduit not be part of the choir?