The three stars are for the the first half of this story which is actually both fun and funny. Jessica's responses to the discovery of her future marriage to Lucius Vladescu is actually a joy to listen to (mostly disbelief and denial). Most of Lucius' letters home are kind of humorous. However, once they both start accepting the seriousness of what is going on between them (feelings, responses, etc.) the story gets to be quite, well, serious.

2-1/2 stars for the second half of the story for edging right into the melodramatic end of the spectrum. I think the second half of this story really could have used some leveling of humor, even as the plot gets darker. Jessica goes from being an interesting spunky teenager to whiny-emo (princess) girl - the "I know he loves me and our love will save us" sort of writing which drives me up the wall. This is why I haven't gotten the courage to read Twilight yet...

Lucius is an interesting young man with character. He's not had a good time of it, thanks to his uncles, but he still strives to be better than the men who raised him.

Jessica's uncle Dorin is a sweetheart. I hope he makes more appearances in the future. ( )

Jessica Packwood is looking forward to her senior year with her best friend Mindy and competing on the Math team. However, the first day begins on an ominous note, when a tall stranger emerges from the early morning gloom and calls her by her birth name—Antanasia. Her college professor mom and yoga instructor/organic farmer dad adopted her from Romania when they were there on a research trip and that is all she knows of her origins. Until the stranger, Lucius Vladescu tells her they are betrothed because of a pact made between the Dragomirs and the Vladescus, and her parents finally tell her the story of her vampire princess origins. Lucius has come to the States to fulfill the pact but Jessica, the rational mathlete who believes in science not myths, was having none of it. This engaging first novel has a main character that is smart, funny and likeable; her internal dialogue is hysterical and the repartee with Lucius in the beginning of the book is delightful. Lucius finds Jessica wanting in the vampire princess department and gives her a copy of A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health and Emotions, which she promptly deposits under her bed. The novel, however, becomes darker about midway, when Lucius becomes interested in the stereotypically witchy and scheming cheerleader and Jessica realizes, maybe too late, that she is falling for him. Even though it is another vampire novel, it is clever, well-written, sexy, and exciting. Publisher’s Weekly starred. ( )

I read this quickly. It wasn't the typical vamp book, and so was a fun read read. I didn't want to go to my meeting; I wanted to stay home and finish the book! ( )

Jessica learns in her senior year that she is actually a vampire princess. She always knew she was adopted but did not know her parental history. She learns however when a vampire prince comes into her life as a foreign exchange student. ( )

This book is so great because it has so many elements to it. It has humor; Jessica is a typical teenager and sometimes her actions are too funny because she's so dramatic. Lucius also brings humor in the way he sees American customs and the things teenagers say and do. There were also sad parts, I really felt for Jessica and Lucius, trapped in an arranged marriage even though they come from such different worlds. This is so fun and the narrators did a fabulous job! ( )