Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Quiet, shy Jill Jekel has always followed the rules without question. But when her father was murdered and the mysterious box that she was told to NEVER open was sitting in his office, Jill sort of broke the biggest rule of all...

When Tristen Hyde came to Jill's high school, there were a lot of jokes between Jill and Tristen's last name, always linking them together. It never mattered that they were different social status's at school; the Jekel and Hyde team were together. 

After awhile, the joke grew old and students stopped talking about it. 

But both Tristen and Jill are extremely smart at school. They are also really smart in chemistry class, giving them the opportunity to compete in a competition to receive a $30,000 scholarship for college. 

When Jill found out that her father stole her college fund, she decided to do an experiment for the competition and, following their chemistry teacher's advice, got Tristen to partner up with her to create the "Jekel and Hyde" duo to grab the judges attention. 

And the experiment? Well, recreating the potion that Jekyll made in the novel, The Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of course. 

See inside that box in her father's office? It's the original notes written by Dr. Jekyll to get rid of the curse he created known as Mr. Hyde. 

Tristen was a little leery to join Jill in this experiment, but after having blackouts and not remembering events that other people do remember, he realizes that the Hyde curse has taken over Tristen. He wants to recreate this potion to get rid of the monster inside of him before he completely takes over. 

The chemistry between Tristen and Jill is undeniable, but Tristen won't get close to Jill because of the monster trying to get control - especially when Jill is around. He needs to banish the monster forever before he can start something will Jill. 

Will they be successful to recreate the potion to 1) cure Tristen and 2) save Jill's financial crisis she's in? Or will the monster overtake Tristen and do what it does best: kill those who Tristen's attracted to? Read Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections

If you've ever read the classic story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you'll love this creative, well written, unique tale spun by Fantaskey. 

Or if you've only heard of the story, that's alright too since this goes into a more dark, haunting story about two characters who are connected from an ancient tale and a curse that goes back in both families. 

This novel is told through both Tristen and Jill's point of view, giving the reader a chance to delve in both characters and read their inner most thoughts and reactions to finding the cure for Tristen and Jill. 

I absolutely adore Jill. She reminds me of myself a little bit back in high school, though I wasn't as smart as her (especially in science, shudders). And I have to admit that I found the idea of her wearing glasses amazing, as many main characters in books I've read don't wear contacts or glasses. 

And Tristen is so torn up inside. He knows he's cursed, he knows there is a monster waiting to come out, and he knows he's done horrible things because of the monster. 

But he wants to get better and destroy the monster so he can be a better person again. And he also wants the monster gone so he can be with Jill. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but he still finds a way to resist her so she won't get harmed by the monster in case it comes out. 

I really enjoyed this book. Also, on the plus side, it's a standalone novel, so no waiting for the rest of the story to come later. 

I would definitely recommend this to any reader. I think guys might like it as well because Tristen has a voice that they can read and relate to. And to anyone who likes science  this is definitely up your alley! Pick it up today and get lost in the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde through Jill and Tristen's point of view.