Enchanting Review: Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side

JESSICA’S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE

BETH FANTASKEY

Paranormal Young Adult

Harcourt

ISBN# 978-0-15-206384-9

351 Pages

$17.00

Hardcover—Available Now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

I loved JESSICA’S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE. It’s a unique tale, with Jessica Packwood—Antanasia Dragomir—finding out the truth about herself. She’s not the typical teenager she thought she was, something she realizes when Lucius Vladescu shows up to claim her as his betrothed and her parents sit her down to have a ‘talk’. She’s actually a Vampire Princess, from the royal Dragomir family and the only surviving pure blood left of the line. The marriage between her and Lucius will unite the two families and keep war from breaking out. This would be okay, if Jessica believed in any of it. But she doesn’t. She thinks Lucius is crazy and so are her parents for keeping him around, while he plays the role of exchange student and takes up residence in the apartment over the garage. But there’s something about Lucius and Jessica finds herself slowly drawn to him, despite everything.

I have to say one of my favorite parts of the book was Lucius’ letters to his Uncle Vasile back in Romania. I loved seeing things from his point of view and some parts were just downright hilarious, like his few notes about joining the basketball team and observations on the ‘American’ way of life. But my all time favorite scene is when Lucius takes Jessica shopping and they go into the high end store and he makes her try on the dress. I loved what he said to her and how after that she started to see herself differently.

Fans of lighter paranormal looking for something different should definitely try JESSICA’S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE.

Beth Fantaskey grew up in the small tow of Montoursville, Pennsylvania and later moved to the edge of Amish country, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She has a master’s degree in journalism and has written everything from speeches to newsletters, articles to short fiction but JESSICA’S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE is her first book. Visit her online at www.bethfantaskey.com

Lisa

Enchanting Reviews

January 2009

Enchanting Review: The Dead and the Gone

THE DEAD AND THE GONE
SUSAN BETH PFEFFER
Young Adult
Harcourt
ISBN 9780152063115
320 pages
$17.00
Print - Releasing June 2008

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Seventeen-year-old Alex Morales worries whether or not he'd be senior class president or if he'll get a scholarship to Georgetown. But all these concerns fade on the fateful day a meteor hits the moon. Life as he knows it will never be the same.

Alex is left to take care of his two younger sisters while trying to survive. New York City is no longer the bustling city he remembers. Corpses and rats line the streets. The only thing that still seems normal is St. Vincent de Paul, his Catholic school, where the kindness of the priests helps him survive day by day. If the severe climate changes don't kill him, then staying in NYC will. Will the faith of his sister Bri be enough for them or will Alex have to prove to himself that he has the strength to help not only himself but his sisters to survive as well?

I loved this story. I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. Ms. Pfeffer does an excellent job describing the horrors Alex and his sisters face once the meteor hits. Not knowing the fate of either of his parents, Alex calls the hotline and makes an appointment to check bodies at the Yankee Stadium. This scene haunted me.

I loved the depiction of the priests and nuns and how they looked out for the students under their care; also how Alex learns how to look beyond his own concerns and help not just himself but his family. Alex's struggles and fears were very realistic. Who knows what others would do in a similar situation?

Alex's strength and courage stayed with me long after I finished this tale.

I'd highly recommend this book. Also I recommend the first book, Life As We Knew It.

Kim
Enchanting Reviews
May 2008