Book Review: Jekel Loves Hyde

Title: Jekel Loves Hyde
Series/Sequel? No
Author: Beth Fantaskey
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Age Level: YA (13-18)
Page Count: 282
Summary: Jill Jekel's chemist father is dead, and her college money with him, spent on a secret experiment of his. So when Jill's chemist teacher at school offers her and three other classmates the chance to enter a chemistry competition - with a thirty thousand dollar scholarship as first prize - she takes it. Teaming up with Tristan Hyde, they find the original notes from the famous novel, recreating the experiments. But it's not just for the money. It turns out that Jill and Tristan are actually both descendants of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, respectively. And the beast that the original Mr. Hyde was is still present in Tristan today. Now, finding and recreating the original formula could be crucial to saving Tristan's sanity... and his life.

Review: I really wish I had something that would count as a 2.99, because this book was teetering right on the edge of a 3... but couldn't quite make it. 

First off, let me say that in my opinion, this book was better than Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (my review here). The idea of a new Jekel and Hyde, inside a couple of teenage students, was very new and interesting. I liked how everything wove together, how little was what it seemed, though some of it was a little predictable. 

I liked how the inner beast of the Hydes played into this. How there was a clear separation between the actual person and the beast. At the same time, it made me think - how much of the beast is in us today? Do criminals and terrorists have more of that beast in them, or did they just fall prey to it easier, give into it when we all have kept it at bay. I'm not sure if Ms. Fantaskey wrote this with these thoughts in her mind as well, hoping for us, as the reader, to pick out this underlying theme and think about it ourselves, or if it is merely my own thinking that has conjured up this question. 

I didn't like, in this book, how quickly Tristan and Jill supposedly fell in love. It was only in the first few pages they began to develop feelings for each other, and I thought it very sudden, lust-driven, and unrealistic. They're planning on getting married and all, and they dated for not even a year! I feel as if this is a very typical high-school relationship that won't last long at all. The romance aspect of it had me totally unconvinced. 

That being said, if you enjoy love stories, with just a little bit of darkness in there, I would recommend this to you. It is mainly a love story, and though I think it's a little unrealistic, all you hopeless romantics (more hopeless than me, I mean) will probably enjoy this. Also, if you enjoyed Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, you will most likely enjoy this book. 

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