Rosemary Clement-Moore. Prom Dates from Hell
Delacorte $8.99  ISBN 978-0-385-73413-4  308 pg.
Reviewed by Lindsey, Age 14

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.

Karen's foot shot out from under her and her arms flung out, catching nothing but empty air as she tumbled backward toward the board. The impact echoed through the natatorium as her head smacked the fiberglass. Her limp body hit the water with a splash, and sank slowly into the stygian depths.

Maggie Quinn was just trying to make her way through the last few months of high school in peace, but all chances of that are dashed when she has a run-in with a nerd and a group of bullies. She rescues the hapless nerd in front of an audience of the entire Spanish Club but is shocked when he storms off muttering curses. But then when spooky accidents start to happen around the school like mysterious car crashes and a girl hitting her head on a diving board, Maggie starts to wonder if those curses actually might have met something. And then when she starts to see monstrous faces in mirrors and strange stains seem to show up everywhere, Maggie is certain that something is wrong. But could it really be a demon? Looks like Maggie will have to play dress-up and head to the senior prom, or else the entire world could be destroyed! And geez you'd think with all the pressure of trying to save the world you'd think the cheerleaders would back off a little, yeah?

Prom Dates from Hell sure isn't big on school spirit but it'll definitely give you a healthy dose of school spirits. Maggie is a whip-smart heroine with a snarky attitude and a strange otherworldly gift. She is easy to relate to in her self-appointed nerdiness, even if the average teenager hasn't had to face off with a demon. The classic stereotypes of meat-headed jock, simpering cheerleader and vengeful geek are a little exasperating but Maggie herself is well rounded and interesting to read about. I really enjoyed her ethereal tale and am most definitely looking forward to the next action-packed story Rosemary Clement-Moore has in store for us.

I give Rosemary Clement-Moore's Prom Dates from Hell four stars out of five.