Continuing with The Eternal Kiss anthology, edited by Trisha Telep, I just finished the second story. Shelter Island by Melissa de la Cruz wasn’t bad, but I’ll be honest, it wasn’t that exciting either. Even though I just read it, it’s really not that memorable.
Shelter Island is about a girl, named Hannah, who meets a boy in her bedroom. We’re given very little about Hannah herself; namely a physical description and the fact that her father left her and her mother. Other than that, we’re left to focus more on what’s going on then really learning anything about Hannah. We don’t know what she likes, how she is at school or anything else. Hannah’s character is very much one dimensional and I just don’t feel a connection to her.
As for a plot, what plot? There really isn’t one. One night, Hannah realizes that the lights are acting funny. A few nights later, a boy mysteriously enters her room. He’s a vampire and he’s running from another vampire. He must leave and the only way he can do that is if he can get some blood. The rest of the story is her debating on what to do. Honestly, de la Cruz has Hannah think about this for several days, but I can totally see this story playing out all in one evening and being over a lot quicker. In addition, we’re only given a glimpse of what the boy is running from. There is no back story or any kind of development for it. It’s mainly there for the boy to have a reason to be in that room with Hannah.
After coming off of Falling Ash from Karen Mahoney, I’m left with a little disappointment. This was my first story by Melissa de la Cruz and Shelter Island really didn’t catch my attention all that much. The writing was good, but the content was a little flat. There was really nothing that left me feeling like I needed more. I guess it was a good story if you’re looking for something a little less captivating, but I can’t say I’m singing its praises.
One last thing, I apologize if this was a little spoilerish, but it was kind of hard to summarize Shelter Island otherwise.
Other stories reviewed from The Eternal Kiss:
Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney
Sword Point by Maria Snyder
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
Undead Is Very in Right Now by Sarah Rees Brennan
Kat by Kelley Armstrong
The Thirteenth Step by Libby Bray
All Hallows by Rachel Caine
Wet Teeth by Cecil Castellucci
Other Boys by Cassandra Clare
Passing by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Ambition by Lili St. Crow
All Wounds by Dina James
Also reviewed by:
Sara’s Urban Fantasy Blog
On the Nightstand
The Story Siren
Love the honesty in your review! A mix of good and bad stories so far. I’ll still be checking this book out.
I would rather that you be spoilerish if it helps to summarize the book.
I don’t know anything about this series, but won’t check it out further based on your review.
I Have Not Read Shelter Island By Melissa de la Cruz But I Have Read Her Other Series The Blue Bloods. I Was Surprised By Your Review Of Her Book Because Like I Said I Have Read Her Blue Blood Series And I Was Hooked. Honesty Is Always The Best Policy In Anything You Do Including Reviews So I Am Glad To Have An Opinion Of This Series But I Might Still Check It out Anyway….^_^.
omg!!! i love that passage so much!!! my favorite one!!! i wonder if there is an actual book built around shelters island!!!!!?
Also did not understand shelter island when I read it but after reading Blue Bloods Revelation I know who the boy was and who he was running from.
@Amy – so it’s safe to say that one does need to read the Blue Bloods series in order to understand Cruz’s story?