Gates of Paradise: A Blue Bloods Novel

Gr 7 Up—The conclusion (Hyperion, 2013) to de la Cruz's complex series has all that fans would expect—lots of intrigue, travel back to the time of Ancient Rome (to explain the mystery of Allegra's and Schuyler's past), and issues of trust and deception. For those unfamiliar with the previous titles, the number of characters and plot twists might be confusing, but there's enough drama here to hold their attention. There are many couples, all in various stages of breaking apart because of the demands made upon them. Bliss wants to help her friends, while Lawson wants to assist his fellow wolves. Jack and Mimi are told to prove themselves to Lucifer by killing their loves, and Mimi must try to convince Kingsley that there is no longer anything between them in order to protect him. The story is told from the viewpoints of the main characters, moving from one to another smoothly. Narrator Christina Moore is better at getting the emotional context of the voices than differentiating between them, but her low tone makes it difficult at times to tell the difference between male and female characters. Fans will be satisfied with the conclusion, which holds many surprises.—Edie Ching, University of Maryland, College Park