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Maggie Quinn: Girl Vs. Evil #1
Prom Dates from Hell
Maggie Quinn, girl reporter. Honors student, newspaper staffer, yearbook photographer.
Six weeks from graduation and all she wants to do is get out of Avalon High in one piece. A sensible nerd would have kept her head down, done her drive-by photo shoot of the prom, and continued the countdown to Diploma Day. But fate seems to have different plans for Maggie.
High school may be a natural breeding ground for evil, but the scent of fire and brimstone is still a little out of the ordinary. It's the distinct smell of sulfur that makes Maggie suspect that something's a bit off. And when real Twilight Zone stuff starts happening to the school's ruling clique—the athletic elite and the head cheerleader and her minions, all of whom happen to be named Jessica—Maggie realizes it's up to her to get in touch with her inner Nancy Drew and ferret out who unleashed the ancient evil before all hell breaks loose.
Maggie has always suspected that prom is the work of the devil, but it looks like her attendance will be mandatory. Sometimes a girl's got to do some pretty undesirable things if she wants to save her town from soul-crushing demons from hell. And the cheerleading squad.
Six weeks from graduation and all she wants to do is get out of Avalon High in one piece. A sensible nerd would have kept her head down, done her drive-by photo shoot of the prom, and continued the countdown to Diploma Day. But fate seems to have different plans for Maggie.
High school may be a natural breeding ground for evil, but the scent of fire and brimstone is still a little out of the ordinary. It's the distinct smell of sulfur that makes Maggie suspect that something's a bit off. And when real Twilight Zone stuff starts happening to the school's ruling clique—the athletic elite and the head cheerleader and her minions, all of whom happen to be named Jessica—Maggie realizes it's up to her to get in touch with her inner Nancy Drew and ferret out who unleashed the ancient evil before all hell breaks loose.
Maggie has always suspected that prom is the work of the devil, but it looks like her attendance will be mandatory. Sometimes a girl's got to do some pretty undesirable things if she wants to save her town from soul-crushing demons from hell. And the cheerleading squad.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 13, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
April 7, 2017
For adults a 2.5 rounded up to 3, for the teen audience maybe a 3-4 star book
Maggie Quinn, almost-graduated high school senior and in deep denial about her inherited second sight, ends up in the middle of malicious Weirdness that increasingly Seems To Know Her. The plot revolves around her attempting to figure out what's going on and coming to grips with her own gifts. There's a little bit of stereotypical Irish granny and the Jocks/Cheerleaders tropes were in full form although the author did give a bit of lip service to dodging said tropes. Surprisingly, Actual Science makes a few appearances - points for that!
Fairly typical stuff and there is no new ground broken here, YA or otherwise, but the main character was likeably clever, she came from an actual intact family with no egregiously dead parent(s), and the bit of romantic dreck that's almost de rigueur for so much YA these days isn't intrusive. Thankfully it stayed mostly at arm's length and didn't occupy 95% of the MC's brain while simultaneously dropping her IQ by 30 points. Hormone factor: mild.
Adults will see where the plot is going although there's a nicely non-telegraphed twist along the way. Prom Dates is an engaging popcorn/airplane disposable 2-3 hour read for (mostly female) grown-ups with nothing better to read, and a good & occasionally snarky book for (mostly girl) teens, especially those like Maggie (and me) who looked forward to Prom, Spirit Weeks and Pep Rallies with expectation similar to anticipating the non-anesthetized settings of large broken bones.
Maggie Quinn, almost-graduated high school senior and in deep denial about her inherited second sight, ends up in the middle of malicious Weirdness that increasingly Seems To Know Her. The plot revolves around her attempting to figure out what's going on and coming to grips with her own gifts. There's a little bit of stereotypical Irish granny and the Jocks/Cheerleaders tropes were in full form although the author did give a bit of lip service to dodging said tropes. Surprisingly, Actual Science makes a few appearances - points for that!
Fairly typical stuff and there is no new ground broken here, YA or otherwise, but the main character was likeably clever, she came from an actual intact family with no egregiously dead parent(s), and the bit of romantic dreck that's almost de rigueur for so much YA these days isn't intrusive. Thankfully it stayed mostly at arm's length and didn't occupy 95% of the MC's brain while simultaneously dropping her IQ by 30 points. Hormone factor: mild.
Adults will see where the plot is going although there's a nicely non-telegraphed twist along the way. Prom Dates is an engaging popcorn/airplane disposable 2-3 hour read for (mostly female) grown-ups with nothing better to read, and a good & occasionally snarky book for (mostly girl) teens, especially those like Maggie (and me) who looked forward to Prom, Spirit Weeks and Pep Rallies with expectation similar to anticipating the non-anesthetized settings of large broken bones.
April 11, 2012
Reviewed At: http://queenofteenfiction.blogspot.co...
I can’t even begin to express my love for Prom Dates from Hell. This book is brilliant. That’s all there is to it. I love a book that manages to have the perfect mixture of action, humour and a bit of romance and this one defiantly ticks all those boxes.
Prom Dates from Hell follows senior, Maggie Quinn, as she battles a Demon that begins taking down the popular crowd at her school.
I love Maggie Quinn. She is amazingly hilarious with her sarcastic humour. She very much reminded me of Suze Simon from my The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot (which, if you don’t know, happens to be my most treasured book series of all time).
There are some seriously funny moments in this book. There were many times I laughed out loud whilst reading this one. I also adored Maggie’s dad, he’s such a sweetheart!
This is a really funny and enjoyable read. I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery YA novel.
I can’t even begin to express my love for Prom Dates from Hell. This book is brilliant. That’s all there is to it. I love a book that manages to have the perfect mixture of action, humour and a bit of romance and this one defiantly ticks all those boxes.
Prom Dates from Hell follows senior, Maggie Quinn, as she battles a Demon that begins taking down the popular crowd at her school.
I love Maggie Quinn. She is amazingly hilarious with her sarcastic humour. She very much reminded me of Suze Simon from my The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot (which, if you don’t know, happens to be my most treasured book series of all time).
There are some seriously funny moments in this book. There were many times I laughed out loud whilst reading this one. I also adored Maggie’s dad, he’s such a sweetheart!
This is a really funny and enjoyable read. I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery YA novel.
December 31, 2015
Formulaic at the core, but the surrounding details are pretty good. Maggie is a fun lead, and I liked that she's much closer to Buffy than Bella, and that she has her own life and interests before the story starts. Less thrilled with the super stereotypical bully jocks and mean girl cheerleaders. Not a fan of the proto-romance between a not-yet-18-year-old high school student and a college guy who's finished his undergrad (so at least 22), but at least it's on a slow burn in this book. Will I read any more in this series? I don't know, maybe. This one was fun, but not super exciting.
May 25, 2017
Comecei por adorar o livro e acabei por odiar
June 14, 2017
"Prom Dates From Hell" by Rosemary Clement-Moore, is about a High School Senior, Maggie Quinn, who becomes a demon hunter. After witnessing a supernatural injury of one of her friends during swim class, Maggie concludes that there is a demon on the loose. She then undergoes an investigation at her prom to figure out who created the demon and how to destroy it. I thought that this book was okay. When I first started reading it, I pictured this book to be about prom, considering the title. I would recommend this book to those who don't mind a supernatural twist.
July 16, 2017
Um Baile de Finalistas Infernal RATING: 3 stars.
A light, fun supernatural mystery for teens with a sassy and cute heroine. The romance part was not very well done (a trend in the author's books) and the mystery was predictable, but overall, a nice read.
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Portuguese review:
ATENÇÃO: Contém ligeiros SPOILERS.
Peguei neste livro com baixas expectativas, confesso. Pareceu-me que ia ser mais um mistério paranormal insonso e pouco original, com uma heroína igualmente insonsa.
Acabei por gostar bastante da leitura. O livro demora um bocado a descolar, mas enquanto a trama não se adensa temos Maggie Quinn para nos entreter; uma rapariga positiva, sempre com resposta pronta.
O início é um pouco confuso. Somos apresentados a Maggie, jornalista para o jornal da escola e uma rapariga nada popular. Claro que a primeira situação do livro é logo um confronto com o grupo de desportistas e líderes de claque da escola, mas Maggie é esperta e tem um dito espirituoso na ponta da língua para fazer frente aos insultos.
Mas depois a nossa protagonista começa a ter sonhos estranhos e é-nos apresentada uma outra faceta dela e da sua família: segundo a avó de Maggie, os Quinn têm um talento algo sobrenatural que se manifesta através de pressentimentos e sonhos. Maggie chama-lhe intuição mas a avó chama-lhe clarividência. Aqui é que fica tudo um pouco confuso porque não nos é explicada a origem ou natureza exacta deste 'poder'. Creio que isto seja propositado; já li outras obras da autora e parece-me que ela gosta de manter os seus eventos sobrenaturais subtis (ou seja tem tudo mais a ver com sensações, pressentimentos e o que não se vê). No entanto, isto criou alguma confusão, como disse, porque faltou alguma história de fundo em relação ao dom de Maggie. E se ela era céptica de início (também por razões desconhecidas) em relação à origem sobrenatural do seu dom, depressa se convenceu do contrário.
Temos então uma heroína com um ligeiro poder sobrenatural que se vê envolvida num mistério também sobrenatural. Começam a acontecer alguns acidentes na escola que parecem ser causados por um fantasma vingativo. Maggie tem um mau pressentimento e decide investigar (como o faria a sua heroína favorita, a Nancy Drew), contando com a ajuda de Justin, um dos alunos universitários do seu pai.
Depois da história 'arrancar', o livro ganhou nova vivacidade. O mistério é bastante fácil de desvendar (ou pelo menos os culpados são), mas gostei de todo o desenvolvimento que culminou no desfecho passado (onde mais) no Baile de Finalistas. Em termos de ritmo este livro desenrola-se mais regularmente do que outras obras da autora e consequentemente não houve muitos 'tempos mortos'. Gostei do facto de a autora ter feito alguma pesquisa e ter incluído mitos e lendas antigas, nomeadamente sobre a antiga Mesopotâmia.
Para além de ser previsível o único outro problema a apontar é o facto do romance parecer algo forçado.
No geral uma leitura leve e intrigante, recomendada para quem gosta de mistérios paranormais com uma protagonista auto-suficiente, inteligente e energética. Estou interessada nas próximas aventuras de Maggie.
A light, fun supernatural mystery for teens with a sassy and cute heroine. The romance part was not very well done (a trend in the author's books) and the mystery was predictable, but overall, a nice read.
-------------------------------
Portuguese review:
ATENÇÃO: Contém ligeiros SPOILERS.
Peguei neste livro com baixas expectativas, confesso. Pareceu-me que ia ser mais um mistério paranormal insonso e pouco original, com uma heroína igualmente insonsa.
Acabei por gostar bastante da leitura. O livro demora um bocado a descolar, mas enquanto a trama não se adensa temos Maggie Quinn para nos entreter; uma rapariga positiva, sempre com resposta pronta.
O início é um pouco confuso. Somos apresentados a Maggie, jornalista para o jornal da escola e uma rapariga nada popular. Claro que a primeira situação do livro é logo um confronto com o grupo de desportistas e líderes de claque da escola, mas Maggie é esperta e tem um dito espirituoso na ponta da língua para fazer frente aos insultos.
Mas depois a nossa protagonista começa a ter sonhos estranhos e é-nos apresentada uma outra faceta dela e da sua família: segundo a avó de Maggie, os Quinn têm um talento algo sobrenatural que se manifesta através de pressentimentos e sonhos. Maggie chama-lhe intuição mas a avó chama-lhe clarividência. Aqui é que fica tudo um pouco confuso porque não nos é explicada a origem ou natureza exacta deste 'poder'. Creio que isto seja propositado; já li outras obras da autora e parece-me que ela gosta de manter os seus eventos sobrenaturais subtis (ou seja tem tudo mais a ver com sensações, pressentimentos e o que não se vê). No entanto, isto criou alguma confusão, como disse, porque faltou alguma história de fundo em relação ao dom de Maggie. E se ela era céptica de início (também por razões desconhecidas) em relação à origem sobrenatural do seu dom, depressa se convenceu do contrário.
Temos então uma heroína com um ligeiro poder sobrenatural que se vê envolvida num mistério também sobrenatural. Começam a acontecer alguns acidentes na escola que parecem ser causados por um fantasma vingativo. Maggie tem um mau pressentimento e decide investigar (como o faria a sua heroína favorita, a Nancy Drew), contando com a ajuda de Justin, um dos alunos universitários do seu pai.
Depois da história 'arrancar', o livro ganhou nova vivacidade. O mistério é bastante fácil de desvendar (ou pelo menos os culpados são), mas gostei de todo o desenvolvimento que culminou no desfecho passado (onde mais) no Baile de Finalistas. Em termos de ritmo este livro desenrola-se mais regularmente do que outras obras da autora e consequentemente não houve muitos 'tempos mortos'. Gostei do facto de a autora ter feito alguma pesquisa e ter incluído mitos e lendas antigas, nomeadamente sobre a antiga Mesopotâmia.
Para além de ser previsível o único outro problema a apontar é o facto do romance parecer algo forçado.
No geral uma leitura leve e intrigante, recomendada para quem gosta de mistérios paranormais com uma protagonista auto-suficiente, inteligente e energética. Estou interessada nas próximas aventuras de Maggie.
September 4, 2017
To read series reread recap click here.
This is such a fun book. Even ten years later. It wasn’t as great as I remembered it though. There were definitely parts of the book that dragged, but I still think out of all the books in the series it was probably the best.
Which I guess is sort of downer since there are two other books, but to be fair those books aren’t bad. This one just is the best one out of the bunch.
I think what I like the best about it is Maggie’s sass. It’s in the other books to some degree too, but here, I felt like the character was in her element the most. Plus, I felt like the side characters were the most developed here than in other books.
D&D Lisa was and probably will be my favorite character in this series. I had always hoped she’d get a spinoff of her own or would crossover into the Goodnight series, she’s just that great. She actually did have quite a bit of a story arc too as a supporting character here. Though, upon reread this book is much more predictable than it was when I first read it.
Also, I really wish that more time would’ve been spent on the fallout to what happened to Lisa. It’s really never mentioned again after this book, and she is the MC’s B.F.F. you’d think they talk about THAT a little more. Regardless, it presented an opportunity to develop the character further and I sort of think Clement-Moore missed it.
The book also seemed a lot less exciting second time around.
There were still some scenes that got my heart pumping, but it wasn’t as much of the roller coaster that I remember it being. And the Brian character really was completely useless. I didn’t know his whole purpose.
Overall though, I’d say that Prom Dates From Hell was one of the better YA paranormal books in its era. Even with its flaws, it was still a good revisit and I think it still holds up fairly well today.
This is such a fun book. Even ten years later. It wasn’t as great as I remembered it though. There were definitely parts of the book that dragged, but I still think out of all the books in the series it was probably the best.
Which I guess is sort of downer since there are two other books, but to be fair those books aren’t bad. This one just is the best one out of the bunch.
I think what I like the best about it is Maggie’s sass. It’s in the other books to some degree too, but here, I felt like the character was in her element the most. Plus, I felt like the side characters were the most developed here than in other books.
D&D Lisa was and probably will be my favorite character in this series. I had always hoped she’d get a spinoff of her own or would crossover into the Goodnight series, she’s just that great. She actually did have quite a bit of a story arc too as a supporting character here. Though, upon reread this book is much more predictable than it was when I first read it.
Also, I really wish that more time would’ve been spent on the fallout to what happened to Lisa. It’s really never mentioned again after this book, and she is the MC’s B.F.F. you’d think they talk about THAT a little more. Regardless, it presented an opportunity to develop the character further and I sort of think Clement-Moore missed it.
The book also seemed a lot less exciting second time around.
There were still some scenes that got my heart pumping, but it wasn’t as much of the roller coaster that I remember it being. And the Brian character really was completely useless. I didn’t know his whole purpose.
Overall though, I’d say that Prom Dates From Hell was one of the better YA paranormal books in its era. Even with its flaws, it was still a good revisit and I think it still holds up fairly well today.
February 21, 2015
I love a good supernatural book, especially when the main character also has some supernatural abilities to back her up. This book was no exception.
I was a little bit turned off by the title. It sounded so childish and reminded me of a book I tried reading recently that turned out to be a huge waste of my time. So, I skipped over it every time I saw it, thinking that I wasn't missing out on much.
The reason I finally decided to just give it a try was because I realized that the author, Rosemary Clement-Moore, is the author of one of my favorite books: Texas Gothic. I'm glad that her writing was just as good in Prom Dates from Hell as it was in Texas Gothic.
This book was so much fun to read. Maggie Quinn was hilarious and the kind of main character I love reading about. The supernatural lore was well thought out and reminded me a lot of one of my favorite TV Shows, Supernatural. The romance was cute and not too much in my face, like a lot of YA fiction tends to get these days. And I definitely wasn't expecting the ending to turn out the way it did.
This is one I highly recommend, especially if you love supernatural stories. And now I'm off to see if the second book is available at the library.
I was a little bit turned off by the title. It sounded so childish and reminded me of a book I tried reading recently that turned out to be a huge waste of my time. So, I skipped over it every time I saw it, thinking that I wasn't missing out on much.
The reason I finally decided to just give it a try was because I realized that the author, Rosemary Clement-Moore, is the author of one of my favorite books: Texas Gothic. I'm glad that her writing was just as good in Prom Dates from Hell as it was in Texas Gothic.
This book was so much fun to read. Maggie Quinn was hilarious and the kind of main character I love reading about. The supernatural lore was well thought out and reminded me a lot of one of my favorite TV Shows, Supernatural. The romance was cute and not too much in my face, like a lot of YA fiction tends to get these days. And I definitely wasn't expecting the ending to turn out the way it did.
This is one I highly recommend, especially if you love supernatural stories. And now I'm off to see if the second book is available at the library.
April 6, 2009
I, surprisingly, quite enjoyed this book. It was light, fun, and funny. It's a kind of chick-lit with Demons from Hell and a clairvoyant, snarky Nancy Drew.
It's not the greatest book ever, and has the standard fare of a likable, normal (well, with ESP) protagonist and the intentionally extreme caricature of jocks and cheerleaders, as well as two gorgeous boys and a romance that satisfy its target audience. However, I do like the fact that the heroine is a good mix of self-confidence and self-doubt and well-adjusted, unlike what is typically found most stories (i.e. somewhat pathetic girl with poor self-esteem who suddenly finds self worth when a boy pays attention to her (Twilight?) or an extremely "hot" girl who has been transplanted and is no longer cool (Buffy)). It's also interesting that the author leaves some loose ends and doesn't let the reader off with a perfectly happily-ever-after or the impression that the main character and her friends are Good, while the Jock and Jessica (cheerleading) squad are Evil.
It's not the greatest book ever, and has the standard fare of a likable, normal (well, with ESP) protagonist and the intentionally extreme caricature of jocks and cheerleaders, as well as two gorgeous boys and a romance that satisfy its target audience. However, I do like the fact that the heroine is a good mix of self-confidence and self-doubt and well-adjusted, unlike what is typically found most stories (i.e. somewhat pathetic girl with poor self-esteem who suddenly finds self worth when a boy pays attention to her (Twilight?) or an extremely "hot" girl who has been transplanted and is no longer cool (Buffy)). It's also interesting that the author leaves some loose ends and doesn't let the reader off with a perfectly happily-ever-after or the impression that the main character and her friends are Good, while the Jock and Jessica (cheerleading) squad are Evil.
February 7, 2011
Excerpt: Dad and I had seen the same action movies, so he got into place, all very Lethal Weapon. I mouthed, “One, two,three!” and he yanked open the door so hard it banged into the wall, showering plaster onto the carpet. The crash startled me, and I flung my barrage of salt into the bathroom with a stifled squeak.(...)
“I’m getting too old for this shit,” said Dad, making me laugh, mostly with relief. He examined the big hole the doorknob had made in the wall. “Your mom is going to kill us.”
“I’m getting too old for this shit,” said Dad, making me laugh, mostly with relief. He examined the big hole the doorknob had made in the wall. “Your mom is going to kill us.”
This book was totally hilarious. If you want you and your friend stress to cool-off for a moment, you may want to give this book a chance. I promised it won't disappoint.
December 1, 2014
This isn't typically my sort of book that I enjoy reading. but I decided to give it a shot. By the end of it I found myself liking it and happy to have read it. it is a great book to read when your in the middle of midterms and want a few laughs from a book. I enjoyed the characters. The suspense in this book was just enough. I will say it was a hard book to put down. I can definitely see myself reading the next book in the future if there is one.
April 30, 2012
a fun, hilarious, spooky, read. :)
January 18, 2019
2.5 out of 5 Stars
February 7, 2019
Prom Dates from Hell started out well. Our heroine, Magdalena, is a snarky-but-spunky reporter for the school newspaper. She loathes the popular crowd and everything associated with it, especially prom. Unfortunately for her, she has been cursed with ESP, and when someone starts picking off the school's upper crust, she feels she has to intervene.
Weirdly, the book is a sort of police procedural built around supernatural forces. Maggie and her partner, Justin, plod towards figuring out the villain. The pace grinds along until the end, when there's a sudden burst of action. The middle of the book consists of a lot of sitting around talking, with occasional internet research.
The real weakness in the book lies in the characters. Maggie becomes less snarky and increasingly nasty, to the point where I lost all sympathy for her and started rooting for Evil. Everyone around her puts up with her abuse for no apparent reason, which made me lose all respect for them, as well. I also have ethical problems with the ending, but different readers will have different reactions there.
(Here's a game which is more fun than actually reading the book: count the various ways other characters describe our heroine. By my count, two people call her a brat, four call her a witch, one refers to her as "a runtish busybody" and several people use stronger terminology which I will not repeat here. The thing is, all of them are right. Yes, Magdalena really is that unlikable.)
On the plus side, the evil spirit is well and truly evil, and some scenes in the book are certifiably creepy.
The writing is competent but not impressive. The dialog becomes increasingly stilted and artificial. The plot drags. Still, this might have managed to be a three-star book if not for the fact that I wanted to strangle Magdalena by the end.
Weirdly, the book is a sort of police procedural built around supernatural forces. Maggie and her partner, Justin, plod towards figuring out the villain. The pace grinds along until the end, when there's a sudden burst of action. The middle of the book consists of a lot of sitting around talking, with occasional internet research.
The real weakness in the book lies in the characters. Maggie becomes less snarky and increasingly nasty, to the point where I lost all sympathy for her and started rooting for Evil. Everyone around her puts up with her abuse for no apparent reason, which made me lose all respect for them, as well. I also have ethical problems with the ending, but different readers will have different reactions there.
(Here's a game which is more fun than actually reading the book: count the various ways other characters describe our heroine. By my count, two people call her a brat, four call her a witch, one refers to her as "a runtish busybody" and several people use stronger terminology which I will not repeat here. The thing is, all of them are right. Yes, Magdalena really is that unlikable.)
On the plus side, the evil spirit is well and truly evil, and some scenes in the book are certifiably creepy.
The writing is competent but not impressive. The dialog becomes increasingly stilted and artificial. The plot drags. Still, this might have managed to be a three-star book if not for the fact that I wanted to strangle Magdalena by the end.
November 15, 2023
Maggie Quinn is just holding on and laying low and waiting until graduation. She wants to let all the high school drama pass her by. But when she asked to prom by one of the nerds and then witnesses his being hazed, actually tortured, by the high school elite, she finds herself getting involved in more than she wants to.
Maggie has some sort of psychic gift that she has been denying most of her life. She doesn't want to believe any of that irrational stuff. But when the group of Jocks and cheerleaders - all named Jessica - start having some strange accidents and exhibiting strange behaviors, she finds herself involved. In fact, she was almost one of the victims when a fellow student takes her place in line for the diving board in PE class and suffers an accident. Maggie has a terror of water if she can't see the bottom and when she sees a strange shadow in the water, she just can't force herself onto the diving board.
But bad dreams and high school drama aren't enough to keep her from dredging up her hidden Nancy Drew and investigating the strange occurrences.
This was a fun story of an intrepid - and sarcastic - high school student. I liked her circle of friends and helpers including a new love interest. I liked her supportive parents and grandmother. I liked the pop culture references which might be a bit dated for a new generation of teen readers since it was written in 2007.
This book has been sitting on my TBR mountain since 2008. But now I bought the other two books in the series and hope to read them without waiting for fifteen years.
Maggie has some sort of psychic gift that she has been denying most of her life. She doesn't want to believe any of that irrational stuff. But when the group of Jocks and cheerleaders - all named Jessica - start having some strange accidents and exhibiting strange behaviors, she finds herself involved. In fact, she was almost one of the victims when a fellow student takes her place in line for the diving board in PE class and suffers an accident. Maggie has a terror of water if she can't see the bottom and when she sees a strange shadow in the water, she just can't force herself onto the diving board.
But bad dreams and high school drama aren't enough to keep her from dredging up her hidden Nancy Drew and investigating the strange occurrences.
This was a fun story of an intrepid - and sarcastic - high school student. I liked her circle of friends and helpers including a new love interest. I liked her supportive parents and grandmother. I liked the pop culture references which might be a bit dated for a new generation of teen readers since it was written in 2007.
This book has been sitting on my TBR mountain since 2008. But now I bought the other two books in the series and hope to read them without waiting for fifteen years.
April 5, 2020
Maggie Quinn is a girl after my own heart.
Painfully awkward, the nerd, English major, and aggressively clueless in the way the real world, and the demon world works. Which is problematic cause she's dealing with both.
The write is passable, the mystery was not that hard to crack, the twist at the end with the best friend, would have been a wonderful twist had the author not overshadowed so heavily that I got it the second it was hinted.
Other then that it was a cute read, Maggie was a snarky, sassy teenage girl which made for hilarious encounters with just about everyone. A good Buffy/Nancy Drew hybrid that was easy to get through (when I had the time to read)
Painfully awkward, the nerd, English major, and aggressively clueless in the way the real world, and the demon world works. Which is problematic cause she's dealing with both.
The write is passable, the mystery was not that hard to crack, the twist at the end with the best friend, would have been a wonderful twist had the author not overshadowed so heavily that I got it the second it was hinted.
Other then that it was a cute read, Maggie was a snarky, sassy teenage girl which made for hilarious encounters with just about everyone. A good Buffy/Nancy Drew hybrid that was easy to get through (when I had the time to read)
December 2, 2019
I love a sassy, quirky story, and this definitely qualified! I loved the main character and her friendships with some of the secondary characters. There was a nice twist to this that I enjoyed, too. The story got violent and creepy towards the end - in keeping with the plot - but it was a step or two too far over the horror line for me. I don't know that I will read the rest of the books in the series, but for those who enjoy horror (and this is on the tame side of that genre), be sure to check this out because Maggie is a delight! (Language)
February 15, 2020
Uma rapariga meio geek que se vê com a missão de salvar o mundo, começando pela escola, a pressão familiar e social, bem... o típico dia-a-dia dramático adolescente pré-adulto, com tudo a que tem direito, com uma carga sobrenatural humorística pelo caminho, excelente para quem adorou Buffy.
Opinião completa no blog: www.umblogentrebibliotecas.pt/2020/02...
Opinião completa no blog: www.umblogentrebibliotecas.pt/2020/02...
June 8, 2023
I feel certain parts of the book were incredibly written and god, so fun to read. The plot was pretty predictable, there were times I felt the story was just saying things that didn't really need to be said. While I liked it I had to push myself to finish it. Solid plot, mostly fun characters, and some downright hilarious jokes. It's a nice binge read if you have the time
March 5, 2025
Maggie is learning to deal with psychic powers, bullying, demonic entities, and dating jitters, all in the run up to prom. There's banter, red herrings, and vital friendships all spicing up a tale that feels like an episode of Buffy. I enjoyed this story, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a badass female protagonist and is nostalgic for supernatural shows like Buffy.
August 17, 2017
A good, quick supernatural read. The characters were well written and the mystery was fairly intriguing, if not a bit predictable. I didn't mind the romance in it as much as I usually mind romance in my books, which is saying quite a bit.
June 20, 2021
I remember I picked this because of the title. I was disappointed though -- I had hoped it would be either true stories or at least good comic stories about bad prom dates. Instead it was kind of lame high school paranormal stuff.
August 5, 2017
Fun read
Super fun read, witty and sarcastic - I would have loved it even more in high school. Probably going to read the next two.
Super fun read, witty and sarcastic - I would have loved it even more in high school. Probably going to read the next two.
December 4, 2017
A little slow but a good story about a fun and sarcastic girl.
September 16, 2018
A lot more deeper then you would think for a book called prom dates from hell. Overall just a fun read
August 17, 2020
Highly entertaining, a great sense of humour, and well written. Plenty to keep the reader entranced. Really enjoyed it, and looking forward to the next in the series.
December 18, 2024
How I love a YA cleansing palette after so many IELTS reading
May 28, 2012
Clement-Moore, R. (2007). Prom Dates from Hell. New York: Delacorte Press.
308 pages.
Three pages into Prom Dates from Hell I knew I was going to love it. (Talk about a bias!) I loved the sarcastic, smart voice of Maggie Quinn right away. She reminded me of a hybrid of Veronica Mars and Buffy Summers.
...But I guess with dark hair.
Appetizer: After stopping an incident of bullying in the halls, the three most popular girls in the senior grade (all named Jessica) take notice of Maggie and start to make her life hellish. While that would be bad enough, Maggie has been having dark dreams again, and that part of herself that is a seer like her grandmother has been awakened, just when *something* at the school is trying to make the most popular seniors suffer.
Just in time for prom!
No longer able to ignore her intuitions, Maggie enlists the help of an attractive college guy, Justin, to fight evil. While they quickly try different folk tactics to hold off the ghost/monster/shadow/demon-thing, it quickly becomes apparent that the beastie may be too much to contend with.
I enjoyed Prom Dates from Hell enough that I will definitely be picking up the second and third books in the Maggie Quinn: Girl Vs. Evil series. Maggie has a lot of wonderfully sarcastic narration.
I have to admit that while I was amused, I was not *completely captivated* by the story. I figured out who the real culprit was pretty early on (although, Clement-Moore did a good job of constructing her red herring.)
I was also a little sceeved out by the age difference between Maggie and Justin. Although Justin's exact age is never specifically given. He's already in college and it's safe to assume he's far along in his program since he talks about graduate credits and what not. Speaking as someone who has been that age, I would have thought that a senior in high school was a wee-little baby and I NEVER would have considered dating someone in such a different position. And I know YA lit loves to have the high school girl date a college boy. But my immediate response is to wonder what is wrong with said college-aged character that he can't date someone his own age. Plus, beyond battling the forces of darkness, I didn't really feel a special connection between them beyond the occasional one-liner or the unfounded over-protectiveness on the part of Justin.
Meh.
Dinner Conversation: !!!
"As an interactive horror experience, with beasts from Hell, mayhem, gore, and dismemberment, it was an impressive event. As a high school prom, however, the evening was marginally less successful.
I should start at the beginning, but I'm not entirely certain when that is, so I'll start with the day I realized that despite my most determined efforts, I was not going to be able to ignore the prom entirely" (p. 1).
"Back on the middle school Serengeti I learned that, lacking a certain killer instinct, my best bet was to avoid standing out from the herd and making myself a target for the apex social predators, at least until I'd built up a tough skin. Now I'm sort of like the spiny anteater. Small and prickly, trundling along, a threat to no one. Except ants, I guess, which is where the metaphor runs out" (p. 2).
"Again my eye snagged on some dark movement--her shadow on the water? I barely had time to wonder, a half-fired neuron of warning, then everything went wrong" (p. 43).
"What if I want to get in touch with you?" he asked.
"About my alleged psychic powers?"
"Maybe."
"Then think about me real hard, and I'll know to give you a call." I flashed a sunny smile, put the Jeep in gear, and drove away. For the first time that day, I felt as if I'd gotten the upper hand in a human interaction" (p. 74).
"I had a lot to do that afternoon. Besides homework, newspaper, and yearbook, there was saving the world as well. Where was I going to fit in a date?" (p. 190)
"Witch hunts scared me. Not for the obvious reasons, but because they were so irrational that there was no defense against them. But I couldn't actually be hanged for a witch. Could I? I wouldn't put anything past the Republicans" (p. 223).
308 pages.
Three pages into Prom Dates from Hell I knew I was going to love it. (Talk about a bias!) I loved the sarcastic, smart voice of Maggie Quinn right away. She reminded me of a hybrid of Veronica Mars and Buffy Summers.
...But I guess with dark hair.
Appetizer: After stopping an incident of bullying in the halls, the three most popular girls in the senior grade (all named Jessica) take notice of Maggie and start to make her life hellish. While that would be bad enough, Maggie has been having dark dreams again, and that part of herself that is a seer like her grandmother has been awakened, just when *something* at the school is trying to make the most popular seniors suffer.
Just in time for prom!
No longer able to ignore her intuitions, Maggie enlists the help of an attractive college guy, Justin, to fight evil. While they quickly try different folk tactics to hold off the ghost/monster/shadow/demon-thing, it quickly becomes apparent that the beastie may be too much to contend with.
I enjoyed Prom Dates from Hell enough that I will definitely be picking up the second and third books in the Maggie Quinn: Girl Vs. Evil series. Maggie has a lot of wonderfully sarcastic narration.
I have to admit that while I was amused, I was not *completely captivated* by the story. I figured out who the real culprit was pretty early on (although, Clement-Moore did a good job of constructing her red herring.)
I was also a little sceeved out by the age difference between Maggie and Justin. Although Justin's exact age is never specifically given. He's already in college and it's safe to assume he's far along in his program since he talks about graduate credits and what not. Speaking as someone who has been that age, I would have thought that a senior in high school was a wee-little baby and I NEVER would have considered dating someone in such a different position. And I know YA lit loves to have the high school girl date a college boy. But my immediate response is to wonder what is wrong with said college-aged character that he can't date someone his own age. Plus, beyond battling the forces of darkness, I didn't really feel a special connection between them beyond the occasional one-liner or the unfounded over-protectiveness on the part of Justin.
Meh.
Dinner Conversation: !!!
"As an interactive horror experience, with beasts from Hell, mayhem, gore, and dismemberment, it was an impressive event. As a high school prom, however, the evening was marginally less successful.
I should start at the beginning, but I'm not entirely certain when that is, so I'll start with the day I realized that despite my most determined efforts, I was not going to be able to ignore the prom entirely" (p. 1).
"Back on the middle school Serengeti I learned that, lacking a certain killer instinct, my best bet was to avoid standing out from the herd and making myself a target for the apex social predators, at least until I'd built up a tough skin. Now I'm sort of like the spiny anteater. Small and prickly, trundling along, a threat to no one. Except ants, I guess, which is where the metaphor runs out" (p. 2).
"Again my eye snagged on some dark movement--her shadow on the water? I barely had time to wonder, a half-fired neuron of warning, then everything went wrong" (p. 43).
"What if I want to get in touch with you?" he asked.
"About my alleged psychic powers?"
"Maybe."
"Then think about me real hard, and I'll know to give you a call." I flashed a sunny smile, put the Jeep in gear, and drove away. For the first time that day, I felt as if I'd gotten the upper hand in a human interaction" (p. 74).
"I had a lot to do that afternoon. Besides homework, newspaper, and yearbook, there was saving the world as well. Where was I going to fit in a date?" (p. 190)
"Witch hunts scared me. Not for the obvious reasons, but because they were so irrational that there was no defense against them. But I couldn't actually be hanged for a witch. Could I? I wouldn't put anything past the Republicans" (p. 223).
August 14, 2011
Excusing my fansquee over Texas Gothic earlier this month, I love most of Rosemary Clement-Moore’s books. They’re funny, snarky, and manages to whip up a good plot.
Prom Dates… is a great little read. I said in the aforementioned review that Amy Goodnight could be cousins with Maggie Quinn, insofar of the fact that they’re both snarky psychics who like to get their Nancy Drew on. While it should be a cliché that Maggie’s defenses for dealing with the banality that is high school. But it’s a refreshing brand of snark, and I loved the humor Maggie brings to the book. I also liked how, even though she doesn’t figure out the exact answer until the end, she’s still willing to approach the conflict from every possible angle until her hunches are right. I like that she’s willing to do the right thing, even if it means helping out her high school nemeses (the Jocks & Jessicas), because it is the right thing to do. Also, she uses logic and science to explain and figure out all of the supernatural goings-on. And she manages to have a great relationship with her parents and grandmother, and it feels realistic.
The plot flows really well. There’s one or two things that feel thrown in at the last minute or feel shoehorned in, but overall, the main action and mystery moves at a good pace. Like I just mentioned, I like how once Maggie accepts all of these accidents are supernatural, she start eliminating every possibility before figuring out the force causing everything. Most of the revenges also feel natural—with the exception of Jock Brian’s sudden development of MS, that one felt a little too out of left field (or as out of left field as one can get in a supernatural mystery)—and fitting to the targeted characters. (Even Karen, who we find out wasn’t an intended victim, but the revenge still fits with her character well enough that it throws Maggie off her game.)
Designated love interest Justin is a little harder to pin down, but I generally liked him. He plays off Maggie well, and some of my favorite parts of the book is their banter. The fact that they both genuinely like one another is a refreshing change from the “slap-slap-kiss” trope, and I was hoping that they would eventually hook up by the end of the book.
Lisa’s the hardest character to crack. While I liked her similarly snarky attitude, there’s something off about her that I couldn’t really relate to. And unfortunately, her reason for helping to summon the demon in the first place—her pre-book sexual assault/rape (it’s never clarified) by one of the Jocks—felt like a convenient excuse and didn’t really get a lot of the attention that it deserved. There’s some hints of Lisa being damaged throughout the book, but the explanation comes too quickly and too close to the end to have the intended effect on the reader. It’s my least favorite part of the book, specifically because it does feel shoehorned and doesn't have the impact that the backstory should have.
As a villain, Stanley is the weakest character in the whole—he only feels like the intended antagonist just because. He’s a slightly sympathetic villain in the idea that he’s a nerd, and most of us know what it’s like to get picked on in high school. But there’s really not much that he does beside mua-ha-ha-ing behind his greasy glasses.
Despite its faults, I have such a good time reading this book. It’s a great start to a series, Maggie’s a fun character to both read and root for, and the mystery manages to be entertaining and puzzling for the reader as well as the characters. It’s happy fun brain candy that’s also smart and witty. Highly enjoyable, and comes very recommended.
Prom Dates… is a great little read. I said in the aforementioned review that Amy Goodnight could be cousins with Maggie Quinn, insofar of the fact that they’re both snarky psychics who like to get their Nancy Drew on. While it should be a cliché that Maggie’s defenses for dealing with the banality that is high school. But it’s a refreshing brand of snark, and I loved the humor Maggie brings to the book. I also liked how, even though she doesn’t figure out the exact answer until the end, she’s still willing to approach the conflict from every possible angle until her hunches are right. I like that she’s willing to do the right thing, even if it means helping out her high school nemeses (the Jocks & Jessicas), because it is the right thing to do. Also, she uses logic and science to explain and figure out all of the supernatural goings-on. And she manages to have a great relationship with her parents and grandmother, and it feels realistic.
The plot flows really well. There’s one or two things that feel thrown in at the last minute or feel shoehorned in, but overall, the main action and mystery moves at a good pace. Like I just mentioned, I like how once Maggie accepts all of these accidents are supernatural, she start eliminating every possibility before figuring out the force causing everything. Most of the revenges also feel natural—with the exception of Jock Brian’s sudden development of MS, that one felt a little too out of left field (or as out of left field as one can get in a supernatural mystery)—and fitting to the targeted characters. (Even Karen, who we find out wasn’t an intended victim, but the revenge still fits with her character well enough that it throws Maggie off her game.)
Designated love interest Justin is a little harder to pin down, but I generally liked him. He plays off Maggie well, and some of my favorite parts of the book is their banter. The fact that they both genuinely like one another is a refreshing change from the “slap-slap-kiss” trope, and I was hoping that they would eventually hook up by the end of the book.
Lisa’s the hardest character to crack. While I liked her similarly snarky attitude, there’s something off about her that I couldn’t really relate to. And unfortunately, her reason for helping to summon the demon in the first place—her pre-book sexual assault/rape (it’s never clarified) by one of the Jocks—felt like a convenient excuse and didn’t really get a lot of the attention that it deserved. There’s some hints of Lisa being damaged throughout the book, but the explanation comes too quickly and too close to the end to have the intended effect on the reader. It’s my least favorite part of the book, specifically because it does feel shoehorned and doesn't have the impact that the backstory should have.
As a villain, Stanley is the weakest character in the whole—he only feels like the intended antagonist just because. He’s a slightly sympathetic villain in the idea that he’s a nerd, and most of us know what it’s like to get picked on in high school. But there’s really not much that he does beside mua-ha-ha-ing behind his greasy glasses.
Despite its faults, I have such a good time reading this book. It’s a great start to a series, Maggie’s a fun character to both read and root for, and the mystery manages to be entertaining and puzzling for the reader as well as the characters. It’s happy fun brain candy that’s also smart and witty. Highly enjoyable, and comes very recommended.
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