Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Darkside by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Darkside by Beth Fantaskey

Publisher: Harcourt (February 1, 2009)
Hardcover: 368 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

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Marrying a vampire definitely doesn't fit into Jessica's senior year "Get-A-Life" plan.
Enter a bizarre new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu who claims Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth and he's her long-lost fiance. He's arrogant, officious, embarrassingly protective, and, well, incredibly hot.
Armed with a copy of Growing up Undead: A Teen Vampire's Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica tries to imagine the transition from an average American teenager to a glam European vampire princess. But just when things start to heat up with Lucius, a devious cheerleader sets her sights on him.
Soon Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius's soul from eternal damnation. All of which leaves her to wonder: Wouldn't life be easier if she could just fall for a nice mortal boy?

First off: This wasn't what I was expecting when I first learned about the novel. At all. I mean, it sounded really, really good. But I thought it would be a little like all the other vampire books I'd read. I hate getting into a novel like that, because I love vampires and I love reading about them. So I was a bit worried when I first got this book.

But I was wrong! Oh, so wrong!

I never expected to love it as much as I did. This quickly made it to my number one favorite book before I was even done with it. (It shares a number one spot with Claudia Gray's Evernight.)

Fantaskey recreated the genre and made it her own. Which is extremely hard to do nowadays with the amount of Young Adult novels that are out in the book world. Plus the percentage of them that include vampires in them.

I can't remember how many times I cried while reading Jessica's Guide. And how many times I got completely ticked off with Lucius. At first I thought I was going to hate him throughout the book, but a little ways in I started to fall in love with him just as Jess was.

At first while I was reading, I thought things were moving a bit too fast. Too many things were happening and it was just the first chapter. But now that I'm done with it, I feel that if those things didn't happen as fast as they did, all the other events wouldn't have played out as great as they did.

I also loved how Fantaskey threw in some things from Lucius' perspective. It added to the story and really let you get to know him more, and how his mind worked.

I really liked Jess, too. She was an amazing protagonist. All her feelings were geniune and real and I felt I really got to know her throughout the novel. I feel as though she's one of my best friends. Which I love those feelings when reading a book.

I felt all the minor characters really added to the story too. They were all really interesting and I loved Jess' best friend, Mindy.

Fantaskey's style of writing was really great, as well. It all really flowed well and drew you in. I always felt as though I were right there, experiencing all the events that were happening throughout the novel.

Overall, it was a GREAT read. I will definitely be reading this again in the future. It's one of those novels where you have to reread them at least once or twice every year.
The end was very good, and it's great as a standalone novel. I was very pleased with the ending. But I'd still love to know more about the characters and the events that happen after the last page of the book.

Going too Far by Jennifer Echols

Going too Far by Jennifer Echols

Publisher: MTV Books (March 17, 2009)
Paperback: 256 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

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HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

Going too Far is easy to read and utterly amazing. I couldn't put it down, which is why I stayed up until seven in the morning reading it, with a headache. I would definitely recommend this; it is now one of my top favorite stand-alone novels.

The characters were amazing and real. I really loved Meg and John. They were both funny and just overall lovable characters, both with an interesting backgrounds that shocked me as I was reading.

The plot was unique and loveable, though it did end up different than what I expected. Which isn't bad, I just kind of thought the story would go a different way.

The originality was unique and the writing was really well done and pulled me in it from the first page.

The pages of this books is filled with teen rebellion, discovery, love, and coming of age. Both Meg and John discovered a lot about themselves, each other and the world.

I cried many, many times in this book. Not going to tell where, though, because it will give some parts away. I think everyone should read this book, at least once. I know I will be reading it many more times in the future. I am definitely going to be awaiting to read more of her novels soon.

Also, you gotta love that cover. It is brilliant! Sadly, though, my ARC is just green, purple, and white. I have to say that I will definitely be getting another copy of this with the actual cover, soon. For this reason.



*Note: I did not take the picture, ~DeAtHBuTtErFly-stock created this picture, the only credit I take is for editing it.

Cracked up to Be by Courtney Summers

Cracked up to Be by Courtney Summers

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (December 23, 2008)
Paperback: 224 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

"What's the worst thing you've ever done?
When "Perfect" Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter's High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher's pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?
Parker doesn't want to talk about it. She'd just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have places her on suicide watch and her counselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there's a nice guy falling in love with her and he's making her feel things again when she'd really rather not be feeling anything at all.
Nobody would have guesses she'd turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.
Something horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault."

Cracked up to Be really proved itself to me throughout the book. I got it because of a suggestion I got from a friend. Lots of people were telling me how great it was, so I got it. When I first saw it in my box of books I received, I was excited to read it, but also pretty "meh" about it.

At the beginning it took me a while to get into. But after that I got so hooked on it that all I could think about was reading more.

All of the characters in the book completely make it a book that I will never forget. They are amazing and living through the eyes of Parker was really amazing. At first I was a bit weird with her name, giving it lots of great points, though, for being unique. I love unique names. But after a while it grew on me and I believed it really suited her. Don't ask me why because I wouldn't know the answer.

Everything is great in this book and I highly recommend it.

And yes, I cried, okay? I mean, how can you not? Part of it was extremely sad. I find it hilarious how I hate crying in front of people when there is a real problem. But with a book I can sit there and cry and just completely tell whoever is bugging me about it to go to hell.

Also, by the way, I warn those who are sensitive to cursing. There is a lot of it in this book. But don't let that stop you from reading it. It's VERY good!



If you'd like to purchase Cracked up to Be, here are a few places to do it!
Amazon
Barnes and Nobles
Books-a-Million

Here is a Cracked up to Be goodie for you!



*Note: I did not make this video, so I don't take any credit for it.

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Publisher: Point (May 13, 2008)
Hardcover: 352 pages
Age Group: Young Adult

"Emerson Watts didn't even want to go to the new SoHo Stark Megastore grand opening. But someone needed to look out for her sister, Frida, who crush, British heartthrob Gabriel Luna, would be sining and signing autographs there—along with the newly appointed Face of Stark, teen super model sensation Nikki Howard.
How was Em to know that disaster would strike, changing her—and life as she'd known it—forever? One bizarre accident later, and Em Watts, always the tomboy, never the party princess, is no longer herself. Literally.
Now getting her best friend, Christopher, to notice that she's actually a girl is the least of Em's problems.
But what Em's pretty sure she'll never be able to accept might just turn out to be the one thing that's going to make her dream come true...."

Airhead was a little weird starting out, but even through it's weirdness it made me want to keep reading. I kept telling myself I'd go to bed on the next chapter, but every time the chapter was over, I did NOT want to stop reading it. The emotions with the characters, especially Emerson's reactions to everything that was happening to her. They are so real and they made me completely freak out. What happened was the farthest to what I thought would happen. I cried when she cried and freaked out when she did.

I've read a few of Meg Cabot's books, and so far this is the most unique one I've read. Before I was completely through the book it had already worked it's way up to my favorites list. Great job, Mrs. Cabot! I recommend Airhead to anyone who wants a good read, especially someone who hasn't read any of Mrs. Cabot's work.

Also, don't forget the sequel to this lovely novel, Being Nikki, which I have yet to read and review! I can't wait to get my hands on it.


If you would like to purchase Airhead, here is a few places to do it!
Amazon
Barnes and Nobles
Books-a-Million

Sequel to this novel: Being Nikki

Here is a Airhead goodie for you!



*Note: I did not make this video, so I don't take any credit for it.

Untamed: A House of Night Novel by P.C and Kristin Cast

Untamed: A House of Night Novel by P.C and Kristin Cast


Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (September 23, 2008)
Paperback: 338 pages
Age group: Young Adult

-"Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel."-

Untamed completely blew me away. After finishing Chosen, I was a bit worried what would come in the next book. I bought Untamed a few days after it was released and put it up on my shelf. I wasn't able to read it right away due to some other books I was currently reading. But as soon as I got my hands on it and was able to read it I got sucked into it from the first page, just like the first three books in the series.

Untamed begins just a few days after Chosen ended. It is a bit more dark and sinister than the first three books in the series and the characters are more stronger. Zoey is a less bit whiny and shows that she is ready to be what Nyx has chosen her to become. A few of her relationships grow stronger and some of them move farther away. She meets a new companion, but soon loses him just a few hours after meeting him. Or does she? You'll have to read to find out!

The House of Night Series are a top favorite series of mine and Untamed didn't disappoint me at all. P.C and Kristin Cast have done a marvelous job on them and I can't wait for Hunted to come out in March. March 10th, 2009 to be more specefic, just two and a half more months to wait!



If you would like to purchase Untamed, here are a few places to do it!

Amazon
Barnes and Nobles
Books-a-Million

Other titles in the House of Night Series: Marked, Betrayed, and Chosen.

Here are some House of Night goodies for you!