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A review by ladytiara
Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore
3.0
Maggie Quinn is an aspiring photojournalist, who stumbles upon an evil demon plot in her high school. She attempts to solve the mystery with the help of her awesome grandmother, a jock who's stepping outside his clique, and a very cute college student.
The plot isn't terribly original, but beyond that, there's a lot to like about this book. For starters, it's really funny, something that's lacking in most YA paranormal novels (the sturm und drang of tortured romance doesn't really lend itself to big laughs, I guess). Maggie isn't a passive heroine by any means. She's smart, funny, and strong, and she wants to solve this mystery and save her classmates. What she really doesn't want is to have to go to prom, but she may have to make that ultimate sacrifice to save her fellow students.
There's a potential romance, and it's a refreshing change from all the tortured YA romances out there right now. Maggie's love interest is perfectly human, and the romance feels rather normal (in a good way). Another departure from typical YA tropes is that Maggie has parents who are involved and interested in her life. (I understand that absentee parents are a convenient plot device to avoid any adult interference in a swoon-worthy romance, but it gets old sometimes). Maggie's grandmother is also a very cool character, and she's a big help with the investigation.
The plot and the heroine are definitely reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I can't fault anyone for wanting to pay homage to Joss Whedon. And even with these similarities, Prom Dates from Hell is a fast, funny, and extremely enjoyable read.
The plot isn't terribly original, but beyond that, there's a lot to like about this book. For starters, it's really funny, something that's lacking in most YA paranormal novels (the sturm und drang of tortured romance doesn't really lend itself to big laughs, I guess). Maggie isn't a passive heroine by any means. She's smart, funny, and strong, and she wants to solve this mystery and save her classmates. What she really doesn't want is to have to go to prom, but she may have to make that ultimate sacrifice to save her fellow students.
There's a potential romance, and it's a refreshing change from all the tortured YA romances out there right now. Maggie's love interest is perfectly human, and the romance feels rather normal (in a good way). Another departure from typical YA tropes is that Maggie has parents who are involved and interested in her life. (I understand that absentee parents are a convenient plot device to avoid any adult interference in a swoon-worthy romance, but it gets old sometimes). Maggie's grandmother is also a very cool character, and she's a big help with the investigation.
The plot and the heroine are definitely reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I can't fault anyone for wanting to pay homage to Joss Whedon. And even with these similarities, Prom Dates from Hell is a fast, funny, and extremely enjoyable read.