Review: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by. Beth Fantaskey

Title: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side   Author: Beth Fantaskey
Age Range: 14+
Publication Date: February 1, 2009
Pages: 351
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis from Goodreads: The undead can really screw up your senior year ...

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—
and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.


Initial Reaction: "Oh how I loved Jekel Loves Hyde hope Beth Fantaskey doesn't disappoint."
End Reaction: "I love Jekel Loves Hyde, but I hate to admit that this book tops it hands down!"

Review: By the name alone, when reading this book I expected a romance, and somewhat of a self-help book if the chance to date a vampire ever came upon me (I'm crossing my fingers!). I got that, and much more. Chilling and thrilling at the same time, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side was exactly what I am looking for when it comes to a paranormal romance with a "dark side".

Lucius just wants to go to America, grab his destined princess, and get back to Romania before he has a vampire war on his hands. Jessica's wants nothing to do with that. But she really can't help falling for Lucius's passionate ways and she finds herself doing her best to keep her logical way of life in tact. She has no plans to become a vampire or get in touch with her past, but she really can't control how she feels about Lucius.

Jessica, or Anastasia, was the most difficult character that could possibly be thrust into the world of the paranormal. She runs on logic, rationality, even the concept of pi baffles her, send in a Romania Prince claiming they both are vampire royalty, and you have the most conflicting romance (if you could originally call it that) possible. I really had strong thoughts about how in the world she was ever going to accept this whole vampire princess life she was so against. And Lucius, all arrogant and formal and mannerly. How boring right, wrong! His arrogance is really annoying, but he seems so passionate, so...swoon-worthy. He has that whole, I'm awesome and I know it thing going on. Its hard to really pick out what kind of couple they would make, but it sure is an interesting one!

Now down to the good stuff, the romance. The last word I would think to describe this romance would be cute. I'd go with destructive, conflicting, and hot. I could disregard the first two and just settle with hot. Who would have know that could some how spring from two such different characters. They both want what they can't have. And when they do have what they want,  they either don't want it, or can't have it. It is a very difficult, and somewhat doomed romance, but when its right, it is soooo right.

This book makes it official to me what an amazing author Beth Fantasky really is. It has officially secured her place on my "Favorite Authors" list. I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us!!!

Recommendations: I recommend this book to all those who liked Jekel Loves Hyde, even if you didn't like it, I think you should gives this book a try. To all those who love a great paranormal romance, and Vampires!!!

Try:  Jekel Loves Hyde 

   
Characters: 10/10 
Plot 10/10
Originality: 10/10 
Entertainment: 10/10 
Ending: 9/10 
Writing Style: 10/10 
Cover: 9/10

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Posted in: paranormal romance,vampires

Review: Glass Houses by. Rachel Caine

Title: Glass Houses

Author: Rachel Caine                               Publication Date: October 3, 2006                  Pages: 247                                                   Series: Glass Houses, The Dead Girls Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools Lord of Misrule,

Rating: 9.3/10

Synopsis: Claire is a 16-year-old math whiz whose parents decided she should spend two years at a small local college instead of taking her scholarships to an Ivy League school. How were they to know that Morganville, Texas, is a town controlled by vampires and that the leader of the popular girls, Monica, will soon be out to get Claire? Cynthia Holloway makes very real the vengeful dynamics of Monica and her "girls" as they hunt and torment Claire. She shows Claire's vulnerability and demonstrates the comfort Claire finds in making new friends, who eventually help save her life. As Claire s confidence builds, Holloway gives focus to her growing resolve and strength.  

Review:  I have never read any of Rachel Caines books before, but I am glad I started it out with this series new twist to the now rising vampire theme.
           In the beginning when I was reading the back cover of this book at Barnes and Noble, I didnt think that I would like it, becuase it would have been the first book I read that actually protrayed vampires in the traditional way, as in the evil human killing way. Not the misunderstood, lover not a blood sucker way I have grown accustomed to in YA book world. But in truth I loved this book. 
          The plot of this books was great. Claire is just an overachieving student who wants to some day go to one of the top technological Universities in the country. Little does she know that the town she moves into is over run with mean murder capable dorm room girls, and the small factor that the town is run by vampires. As she tries to adjust to her new life at the Glass House, and her new roomates, including Shane who has also caught her eye, she finds there are many troubles that come with living in a town when the locals suck the blood of the townspeople on a daily basis. Seeing all these new factors unravel throughout the book was very amusing.
           Overally this was a great read that kept me completely intersesting from the beginning of the book to this end. Don't be fooled by the small print of the book. It reallys isn't at all a light read but a great novel that pulls you in through all the books of the series. I reccomend this book to all those who are fans of vampires, and romance.

Characters: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
Originality: 9/10
Entertainment: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Cover: 8/10
Total: 9.3/10
  





  

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Posted in: vampires

Review: Vampire Academy by. Richelle Mead

Title: Vampire Academy                                                  
Author: Richelle Mead
Reading Level: 14+
Publication Date: August 2007
Pages: 332
Series: Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise
Rating: 8.3/10

Synopsis from richellemead.com:
Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires--the ones who never die.
The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir; she is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.
After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking hearts.
Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's--but their world is fraught with danger both inside and out of the Academy's iron gates. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever...
Review: 
 
Richelle Mead's introduction to Vampire Academy was one of the best vampire books I have ever read. I loved how Richelled Mead combined the cliche part of what a vampire is and added new ideas to the book. And even though for some "unexplainable reason" I have become obsessed with vampires. I didnt have high hopes for this book. When I thought of it I figured it was going to be another boarding school, girly kind of book that just happened to have vampires. I was greatly proved wrong. This book was so incedible. I read it in about four hours and I was so sad when it ended. This is book is the perfect paranormal romance. With all the action packed vampire butt kicking along with all the steamy and scandalous romances developing this book was one of the best vampire novels I have ever read.


I really loved the main character in this book. Rose who is a guradian to her best friend and Moroi Princess is a very unique character. I loved Rose throughout the book. She is so devoted to Lissa as a friend and as Gurdian. She is such a strong character, she is her own person no matter what other people think she should be like. And as she discovers her feelings for Dimitri we start to see a new side of her that isnt always hard and defensive.Lissa on the other hand I found to be annoying in her reliance on Rose. I felt that she couldnt be her own person without Rose around. But she finally seems to start discover herself in a way when a forbidden romance of her own starts to bloom. Another greatly loveable character is Dimitri. In the beggining of the book when we are first meeting Dimitri he seems kind of like the boring all work no play no nonsence type. But as his and Rose's relationship starts to go deeper, we see him opening up and a deeper side to him.


The plot of this book was extremely engaging. There was so much happening at once without it being confusing. There are a multiple of romances with love triangles, and with the development of Rose and Lissa's bond, and both of them still trying to figure out whether or not they should run away from the Academy again or not. And the ending was the best part. It is so action packed with twists and turns over her and over there that you'll probably be holding your breath throughout the ending. After reading this book it took me the whole of 2 hours to go out and buy the next in the series. There was so much drama and suspence and romance in this book and to top it all off it all off all of the characters are vampires. This is the beginning kick ass paranormal romance series and I cant wait for the next in the series.


Characters: 8/10
Plot: 9/10
Originality: 8/10
Entertainment: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
Total: 8.3/10 

 

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Posted in: paranormal romance,romance,vampires