PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE BLUE BLOODS SERIES AS GATES OF PARADISE IS THE FINAL BOOK IN THAT SERIES.

Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz (UK edition cover)

Title: Gates of Paradise (Blue Bloods #7)
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Atom (15th January 2013)
Blurb:

They’re Young, Fabulous and Fanged . . .

Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent on defeating Schuyler and the rest of the Blue Blood coven for good. This time he has his greatest angles by his side, Abbadon and Azrael, or, as they are known in this world, Jack and Mimi Force.

Will Bliss and the wolves she has recruited to join her win the battle for the vampires? Is Schuyler prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice?

Love and vengeance, duty and loyalty, life and death, are all at odds in the gripping, heartbreaking finale of the Blue Bloods series.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

The final book in a series that you have loved, I always find, is hard to pick up. Gates of Paradise was no different for me. I’m sad to see the end of Melissa de la Cruz’s brilliant Blue Bloods series at an end; that Schuyler, Mimi, and Bliss’s stories are over – though I’ve heard a rumour floating around Twitter that this is not the last we shall see of this world, but we shall see.

Gates of Paradise is a brilliant ending to the Blue Bloods series – Cruz did herself, and her fans proud. The only reason that Gates of Paradise didn’t get five stars from me was because Cruz wrapped up all the plot threads a little too neatly for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love that I’m not left with questions at the end of the book but I still think the bow was a little too neat – a small complaint really.

Reading Wolf Pact between Lost in Time and Gates of Paradise really helped me know what was going on in the latter book – so I would suggest that if you read Wolf Pact before you start Gates of Paradise, even if it is a one book spin-off (though I think it’s also being sold as 4 ebooks). Wolf Pact allows you to find out what, exactly, happens to Bliss and how she finds the wolves.

A war has been steadily building up in the background in the previous six books in the Blue Bloods series, and in Gates of Paradise the final battle hits the page. Gates of Paradise really is the last stand for the Blue Bloods, and Schuyler still has to work out how to fulfil the prophecy – or even if she can. As such, Gate of Paradise is a very tense book. Cruz does a brilliant job of mirroring the past and the future through the book.

Like the rest of the Blue Bloods series the main narration of Gates of Paradise is split between Schuyler, Mimi, and Bliss. This works well as it allows us to watch the three plot stands weave together as the book draws to its climax. Cruz also gives Gabrielle and her past a voice in this book which helps to draw the other three voices together and to create a really cohesive narrative.

Although this is the final book in the series there are some surprise revelations in store – which I won’t spoil – and some new characters. I think Cruz did a good job with the ending, though as I have mentioned before it’s a little too neat for my tastes. I’m sad to say goodbye to this series, but I wish Melissa de la Cruz good luck with future ones.