Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

5.0

4.3 (24)

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13 reviews with 4 stars

24 reviews

5 stars

46%

4 stars

54%

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

4.5(24)

Characters

4.3(3)

Writing Style

4.0(3)

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vampires

June 09, 2009 (Updated: July 15, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

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Reader reviewed by stephanie

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this novel. The first half was excellent, the second half was just...I don't know, a mess?

What I did enjoy about Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side was the main character, Jessica, or should I call her Antanasia? She was strongly portrayed. I loved her different sides - the typical American teenager and the Romanian princess that she is by birth. I enjoyed see how she went against Lucius even though everyone else seemed to be in love with his good looks and this was the part where I felt her royal bloodline stood out the most because she can still have rational thoughts and not be distracted. I also loved her scientific and rational mind which stood in the way of beliving Lucius was, in fact, a vampire. I thought it was extremely entertaining when she kept describing Lucius as a mad man who pretended he was a vampire and liked to drink blood. And, she also thought the fangs that he had was a parlor trick...hahaha.

Lucius was funny and dark at the same time. I think he's part of the reason why I enjoyed reading the first half but the second half just wasn't for me. In the beginning, he was a funny guy and through his letters to his uncle, you could tell how humorous he actually is despite the way he is portrayed. I especially loved this PS's because they're just hilarious. However, when he realized that he's a creature of the dark, around the second half of the book, that's when things started to get dark and morbid and just generally not very interesting.

The two characters definitely changed and in some perspective, improved their personalities. Jessica became more regal and strong while Lucius managed to mellow out a bit and became more modernized.

The relationship between the two was carefully developed. It was a realistic portrayal of what real love was like.

The ending, however, was extremely rushed and I didn't feel like it concluded the book well. It left a long of lingering questions and basically, I didn't feel satisfied with it.

Overall, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side was an intense, funny and morbid story of vampire love.

Guest

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Vampire Love Story with a Fun and Unique Twist

May 30, 2009 (Updated: July 15, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Reader reviewed by Library Lounge Lizard

The undead can really screw up your senior year . . . Marrying
a vampire definitely doesnt fit into Jessica Packwoods 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 birthand hes her long-lost fiancÃ©. Armed
with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen
Vampires 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 warand save Luciuss soul from eternal
destruction.

Yes,
another vampire novel! But luckily we have some creative authors out
there like Fantaskey who keep coming up with unique story lines like
this one. There is no beating around the bush here Jessica finds out
right away exactly why Lucius (I just love that name if only I were
having more kids) has come to find her...she's a vampire princess.
Yikes! That would freak any teenage girl out! I like that Jess is just
your average American girl with yes, I dare say curves and she's
definately her own person and not afraid to clean up some horse poo. Of
course we have the classic love triangle but again the author plays
this out differently than most and there are even a few twists in the
end. Fans of vampire books and romance fiction will absolutely enjoy!

Guest

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What to do if you find out you are vampire royalty!

May 21, 2009 (Updated: July 15, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Reader reviewed by kim

This is a tongue-in -cheek vampire romance about an adopted Romanian orphan with loving parents who finds out she is really vampire royalty. When Lucius Valdescu shows up in her life, initially they both do not hit it off. But their respective clans are teetering on the brink of a full scale war if they do not marry. What I loved about Jessica is that she is a multifaceted character with a fierce independance. She doesn't swoon over Lucius' good looks as soon as she sets eyes on him, nor does she pine endlessly for him after her feelings change. Lucius, in turn undergoes his own transformations. In his letters home, he is initially severe in assessing American cultural and social customs as well as Jessica's own family. But the longer he stays with the family, the more fond he grows of their loving bond. When Jessic is whisked away to Romania in search of Lucius, the novel takes a darker turn with formidable forests, jutting cliffs and howling wolves.

The only criticsm I can make about this book was the cover and title. They do not fit this book at all. There is a vampire guide in the book but it is not a manual to dating, and giving the book this title almost discredits it as being corny fluff in potential readers minds. I know I personally put off reading it for a long time because of the name. However, once you commit to it, it will surely appeal toall teen vampire fiction fans with it's haunting love story and lush Romanian backdrop.

Guest

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13 results - showing 11 - 13

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