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

Pages: 351

Release: February, 1^st 2009

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.

My Thoughts:

When looking at the date this book was published, I was shocked. I didn’t realize that this book had been out for so long, but perhaps I just missed the reviews on the first book and just recently got caught up with renewed hype over the sequel to this, “Jessica Rules the Dark Side.” Anywho, it matters not. Better late than never as they say. The title of this book made me expect something funny, perhaps mocking in a way of the vampire hype, or maybe written like an instructional guide. Eh, I don’t know, but I can say it wasn’t at all what I expected and I mean that in the best way.

Lucius, oh the amazing character of Lucius. I have to say my favorite part about the beginning of this novel was the letters he sent to his uncle, Vasile. Very cute and actually made me laugh out loud several times. Also, I really liked when he would stand up for Jessica and when he would tell her she was beautiful the way she was, including her curls and curves.

It was definitely a different take on vampires with a very interesting backstory to boot. I also have to mention the fact that I enjoyed that it was very well wrapped up at the end. I understand it is not a standalone book and that’s okay! However, one of my biggest pet peeves in reading is when the author leaves all these loose ends untied when you finish a book. I want the story to have a sense of completeness, so that I can walk away feeling satisfied and not feel pushed into reading another piece in a series (although, for this I will be getting the second book).

In Short:

Rating: 5/5

Purchase or Check Out? Worth a purchase (even though I regrettably borrowed mine)

Would I read it again?:  Maybe.