sometimes life gives you hell. literally.

I didn't really check to see what this book was about before I read it. I mean, the title was Prom Dates from Hell-- it was bound to be a funny, angsty tale about the disasters of high school prom.

No, no. It's actually about demons.

And was way, way better than I expected. Seriously: read Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore.

Maggie Quinn, reporter, newspaper staffer, yearbook photographer, and Honors student, is a smart, sassy protagonist who always has a quip ready (it's really no surprise her best friend is the caustic, outcast Lisa).

Maggie also has psychic dreams, as much as she tries to deny it. But that becomes impossible when dangerous accidents begin happening to Maggie's classmates. Now, with the help of an attractive college student who focuses his studies on the occult (a situation that would be slightly less complicated if a popular football player wasn't suddenly giving Maggie attention), Maggie has to figure out what exactly is going on, who's behind it, and, most importantly, how to stop it-- before the prom Maggie had no interest in attending turns from hellish to deadly.

The book is balanced-- it doesn't read like a supernatural book with young adult characters or a Young Adult book with supernatural elements. The two aspects work together to make a satisfying read with a complex mystery. While which guy Maggie chooses is no shock, the culprit behind the plot is. Additionally, Maggie and Lisa aren't the only entertaining, fleshed-out characters-- the entire main cast are believable (given the circumstances) and likable.

Unlike most books I've reviewed on here so far, Prom Dates from Hell isn't super funny. There are humorous moments, and the book is full of wit-- which works to keep the novel from getting too dark. But the tone works perfectly for this particular novel, and the wit and voice are enough entertainment for any humor-lover.

There are some times when, as if you were watching a horror movie, you want to yell at the characters for their actions, but overall their approach is smart and calculated, which is refreshing and rewarding.

And the most rewarding part is that Maggie's experience at prom isn't her last brush with hell. Trouble continues to follow Maggie in both sequels: Hell Week and Highway to Hell.

Oh, and just so you know-- the All-American Rejects aren't the bad guys in any of the novels, as perfectly as that would fit.

(And remember, have a review of a mid-list book you love? Email me at doingitwrite@gmail.com!)