01/27/09
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Posted In: Book Review
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Release Date: February 1, 2009
Publisher: Harcourt
Age Group: Young Adult, ages 14 and up
Pages: 368
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
This novel wasn’t exactly what I was expecting! With a line like… “The undead can really screw up your senior year…” I was thinking more a more fluffy, funny, entertaining, just generally a cute novel. I was wrong.
Honestly… when I started this novel and read about the first ten pages… I started having a little bit of deja vu… which really isn’t that big of a surprise considering the volume of vampire novels I read. And it is not necessarily a bad thing, but the feeling of deja vu was quickly replaced with awe. Kudos to Fantaskey for reinventing the genre with this one. I think I should start rating my books according to how frequently I put them down. During my duration of reading Jessica’s Guide, I only put it down when I absolutely had to. Which I think only happened once or twice, I was that into the story. I started it and finished it in the same day. This is definitely one of those novels I will be revisiting.
The main conflict, referring to the transition to vampire princess, is minimal compared to the real conflicting themes, of identity, independence, and self discovery. Jessica’s character is adopted but, she never fully accepts that part of her life, but you see that change throughout the novel, it is a very powerful thing.
I was very skeptical of the supposed ‘love’ aspect of this novel. Jessica’s account is very realistic and it wasn’t hard for the author to portray that when the novel is told mainly through her observations. She doesn’t immediately fall into his arms, her feelings gradually change. Lucius was the one I was worried about. He is motivated by duty and not love. As a reader I needed to see this radical transformation, I needed to see him switch that mode of duty to genuine feelings. And Fantaskey masterfully displays Lucian through his first-person letters to his uncle. You witness the change in his letters, and that’s what made the love story for me. I believed it. Had the author not included that insight to Lucian, the story would have been inadequate.
The writing was also exceptional. The minor characters really made the story that much more enthralling. It was just perfect. Perfectly entertaining, perfectly masterful. An impressive addition to the genre.
While the ending of the novel is satisfying (I believe it is a stand alone novel, but I hope I’m wrong), I would love to see a continuation of this story.
Related posts:
- The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion
- Girls Inc. Presents: You’re Amazing! A No-Pressure Guide to Being Your Best Self
- Frostbite: A Vampire Academy Novel
- Sucks to be Me
- Suck It Up
27 Comments
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Ooh this sounds good. I just won this one over at Teen Book Review and now I cannot wait to read this sucker (yes, that was a deliberate pun and yes, I realise I am pathetic).
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Was looking forward to this review and now can’t wait to read the book! I was worried it might be a little too fluffy for my tastes but it sounds fantastic.
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It looks good! Thanks for the review!
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I want to read this book so badly now.
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Wow, I thought that this sounded too light for my taste…I guess I was wrong though.
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I really loved this book too and I also hope there will be a sequel, but the ending made it seem like there won’t be. Crossing my fingers anyway haha
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I, like many others thought this was a light and fluffy book. Guess not. I really want to read it, especially since you said Jessica’s feeling for Lucius was *gradual* thing and not an immediate thing. Great review.
By the way, you should do an Author Tale with the author. She seems really cool, I just looked at her website, that you linked above. hehe
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This one sounds amazing! I really can’t wait to read it now when it comes out.
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Hmmm. I’ll have to check it out. Yes, definitely do an Author Tale.
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I really liked this one too. And the author lives less than 30 minutes away from me which is pretty cool too!
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Looks really good! Fab review (:
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i cant wait to read this book it sounds great.
ps i tagged you at http://bookwormextraordinaire.blogspot.com/2009/01/happy-tag.html
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Just finished this novel at 5:58 AM. I stayed up all night. I was told to go to bed many, many times by Chels, buuut I just couldn’t do it. Even though I HAVE to be up by at least 12:30 today. I have to be at a job orientation. T_T When all I want to do at the moment is read it over! T_T But I shall go to bed. I just had to come back to this post and read over your review, once again.
Now at the top of my never-ending favorites list with EVERNIGHT. Ah, they will have to share being titled as number one.
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WOW!!! You make the book sound soooooo good! I really need to read it now!!!
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I just got done the book yesterday and it was GREAT! NOTHING like twilight…very good read it was enlightening!
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i would loooovvveeee to read this book my mom is getting it for me! along with like the ”dead is the new black” series…
if u like this kinda books then check out “genaration dead” its not about vampires but it has zombies in it! lol i think you’ll like it. peeeccee! -
I read the book today and i couldn’t put it down. I love these kind of story’s but this one is my new all time fav. (sorry twilight)
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i hope they make a movie out of it!
man the book was awesome !
i couldn’t even put it down =) -
I just finished this one, and I liked it a lot! Also the story about Jessica/Antanasia's wedding on Beth Fanksteys website was a nice touch, though it left me with even more questions I want answered..
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I just finished this one, and I liked it a lot! Also the story about Jessica/Antanasia's wedding on Beth Fanksteys website was a nice touch, though it left me with even more questions I want answered..
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I agree I loved this book!
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I agree I loved this book!
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Thx for your sharing and I'm continuing the book now!
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Thx for your sharing and I'm continuing the book now!
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Hey -
There is a sequel!! Jessica's Guide to Ruling on the Dark Side. For release in 2011! So exciting right?!
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Hey -
There is a sequel!! Jessica's Guide to Ruling on the Dark Side. For release in 2011! So exciting right?!
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