Book Review (50).

Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica #2)

by Beth Fantaskey

Publication: 25th January 2012

Publisher: Penguin Australia

Pages: 309

Genre: Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult 

**Warning May Contain Spoilers From The Previous Book**

It’s one thing to find out you’re a vampire princess. It’s a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband’s name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius’s time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is—and whom she can trust—before it’s too late?

My Thoughts.

Having loved the first book in the series I was pretty excited to read this and I definately loved it.

Jessica and Lucius are now married but Jessica is struggling with royal life, she can't speak or understand Romanian, she can't stand up for herself and feels intimidated by the Elders.

As well as having her Uncle Dorin around Jess has befriended a cousin Ylenia who helps her with her new life as a princess, she contacts her friend Mindy from America and asks her to come and visit and so Mindy who is flunking all her college classes agrees as long as Lucius' cousin Raniero who she got together with at Jess and Lucius' wedding isn't there.

Lucius has an altercation with his Uncle Claudiu an Elder during a meeting  and later that night Claudiu is found murdered, the next day Jessica suggests that everybody shows their stakes to see if any of the Elders have Claudiu's blood on it and it is found on Lucius' stake, he's taken into custody and it's up to Jess to find the real killer.

I loved the alternating chapters of Jess, Mindy, Lucius And Raniero the latter two who's chapters are correspondance by email and Raniero comes home to help out and we also find out a lot about his background and his short romance with Mindy.

And Jess finally comes into her own as a princess having to take over royal duties when Lucius is put into solitary confinement and it's up to her with help from Mindy and Raniero to find the traitor in their midst.

I only hope that there will be another book in this series.

I give this 4/5.

A Big Thanks To Penguin Australia.