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I'm Prodhi...you can call me Prod.
I'm a YA reader/reviewer/ other than that, I'm a nutcase gone awry. Yes, I'm insane so to speak:) I'd say I'm a girl next door, but I'm much better off without a Pinocchio nose, thank you very much. I'm a pretty fun chica, I guess. I also realize that this About Me section doesn't do the three dimensions of my character justice. Or four. Or five. Or six. Oh shooh!

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Bloggers and readers, if you have anything to say to me, here: prodhi@live.com. YA authors who would like me to review their books, I'll be more than honoured. Contact me at the same address.

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Friday, January 15, 2010

WorDissection: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Did I like it? Totally did.
You'll love it if you liked: Fun vampire fiction.
Aura: Light with slight underlying tension buildup.
Read If: You're looking for a supernatural-entwined-with-reality novel with FUNNY vampires (ahem, not Edward, that is).
Main Characters: Jessica and Lucius
Themes: Vampiredom, Romance, Supernatural abilities
Plot: 8.75/10
Narration: 9/10. Very communicative.
Characterization: 9/10. Great buildup.
Overall: 9/10
Did I get bored anywhere? Nope. It was entertainment sandwiched between hardcover.
Did any part confuse me? Not at all. It was a smooth read.
Line/ Page Skippability: 1/5. Not much really.
Writing Style: Average sentences, Informal, F-U-N.
Uniqueness: 8/10
Predictability: 2/10.
Imagery: 4/5. The scenes seem to be playing right before me.
Cover: 9/10. I love how it’s simple but beautiful.
Ending: Happy…but realistic with a good twist.
Reading priority: Definitely Read
Reading duration: Fast readers- 6.5 hours; Slow readers- a week.
Synopsis:
This book made me love vampires again.
Okay, so you have this normal girl who’s actually a vampire princess, but acts like a normal girl, right? Throw in a sinister, handsome, and sarcastically funny vampire who’s actually not so bad at heart (but not a complete angel either). What do you get?
A kickass vampire novel.
The plot had a whole lot of flesh, positive point numero uno. The story buildup was done in a great way, planned out to reflect scenes that seem to be happening right in front of the eyes. The writing style completely blew me away—expressive yet not grossly poetic. It was like chunks of regular conversation put down on paper. The transitions between one scene and another was smooth and in no way rough around the edges.
Jessica was great. She had her vices and her strengths and I loved her for that. Her voice was not whiny (thank goodness)—rather sardonic in a very amusing way. But Lucius was the big cookie in the book. He was this charming, dark vampire to the T, but he was sooo funny! Humour was one of the biggest strengths of the book—not overdone but enough to make you laugh out loud.
One thing that bothered me in the book was the repeated references to gender differences and stuff (eh, what can I say, I’m a feminist). But oh well, it shouldn’t put you away from reading the book—not at all.
If you’re looking for a book with an authentic voice, feel, story and above all, an authentic vampire and not a skewered version of one, then I would definitely recommend picking up Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side. I would suggest grabbing a cup of coffee with it though; that should set the mood.
P.S. I read this book when I had a horrible case of flu. Even through that, I couldn’t help but love this book. Give Jessica’s Guide some more credit points for this particular postscriptum.

Labels: Actual Vampires, Beth Fantaskey, Funny Vampires, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, Vampire Romantic-Comedy, Vampires

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Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Tête-à-Tête with YA author Beth Fantaskey

Aaaaand I'm back with another author interview! Today I have here for interrogation: Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side and the upcoming Jekel Loves Hyde. Read, and enjoy!

Let’s start with the basics. Tell us something about your upcoming book, Jekel Loves Hyde.

It's about two young people who learn that they share a mysterious, and possibly deadly, connection to the old Robert Louis Stevenson novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As they work to unravel the mystery, they fall in love - and become more dangerous to one another. It's a romance with lots of twists and turns and cliffhangers.

How did you come up with the plot?

I honestly have no idea! Isn't that bizarre? I've tried to look back and recall exactly where it came from, but it's like a mystery, itself!

What’re your favourite book/s?

As you can probably tell if you've read my first book, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side - and just by looking at the title of my second book - I am a big fan of classic literature. Melville and Bronte, whom I referenced in Jessica's Guide, are two favorite authors, along with Dickens, Austen and Dumas. Anything by those writers, from the Pickwick Papers to The Three Musketeers, will rank among my favorites.

Tell us something about yourself. Anything from your favourite colour to the wackiest quirks works.
My favorite color is peach - in between pink and orange, and I have trouble working without the radio on.

What would your autobiography be titled if you wrote one? "Confessions of a Happy Neurotic!"

What do you do when you’re not writing? As in, hobbies?

I like to relax by going to the gym (where I also have lots of friends to hang out with when not actually exercising... It's very social!) This summer, a bunch of us trained for a triathlon, which we just finished on Saturday. Whew. I also like to hang out at the pool with my kids, watch terrible reality TV, and listen to music.

Rapid Fire round! Which fictional character do you find yourself most similar to?
Probably Fannie Price... I am super shy!

Any sekrit talents (By sekrit, I mean super-sekrit. Like rolling your tongue or burping for an hour straight or something like that.)?

I am an awesome parallel park-er. I can get my car into the tiniest spots!

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done? I took a bath in chocolate for a newspaper story I wrote. The paper sent me to a spa in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where they literally dip you in chocolate milk. Actually not as fun as it might sound...

You’re locked in an elevator. Who would you want in there with you to keep you company and why?

My husband, definitely. After almost fifteen years of marriage, we still have stuff to say!

Try fitting Bart Simpson into the plotline of Jekel Loves Hyde--he has to play a vital role. How would you squeeze him in?

He'd fit right into my novel, wreaking havoc in the chem lab. Maybe he'd mess with the lab supplies and blow something up!

If you could, which YA author would you like to collaborate with for a joint project?

I only know three other authors personally - Cassandra Clare, Elizabeth Scott, and Lisa McMann - and I would work with any of them in a heartbeat. They're not just amazingly talented - they're super cool people.

Three words to describe yourself and three words to describe your book. Quiet, funny, happy... Intense, funny, passionate

Labels: Author Interview, Beth Fantaskey, Jekel Loves Hyde, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, Tête-à-Tête

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