I enjoyed this book, but I don't feel it is the right fit to purchase for our school. I do sometimes recommend it, and if one of our teacher's does a study of Frankenstein, I'll mention this to him/her as an interesting twist. Thank you for the e-ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to read and review Jek/Hyde by Amy Ross! Lulu is best friends with Jek, Jayesh Emerson Kapoor, who’s a scientific genius. It seems that someone named Hyde has stolen Jek’s bank account information and Lulu wants to get to the bottom of it. This guy Hyde also paid off a teenage girl that he presumably assaulted and people are talking about him and not at all in a good way. Lulu, with the rest of the community, is trying to figure out who Hyde really is and how he’s connected to Jek, especially since Hyde seems to be wreaking havoc and ultimately commits murder. When Lulu discovers the mystery of all that is Hyde, her life changes forever. 5 stars for this engaging young adult mystery with an ending that leaves space for the imagination!
*I received a complimentary copy for voluntary consideration

I was not the biggest fan of this book overall, but it was a very fast read. If you have any premise of the original Jekyll and Hyde story then the big twist in the book is completely exposed before you even begin reading. I loved that there was a diverse cast of characters. However, the characters lacked depth which caused me to simply not care much about them. The relationship between the three main characters was rushed and unbelievable. The ending was a slap in the face which destroyed all character development for what seemed like only an attempt to set up for a sequel.

**Thank you Harlequin TEEN for providing me with a copy in return for my honest review

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2173534289

I will start this review out with saying that I was not a fan of this book. I will also point out that this review will be a short one, because I have very little good, and too much bad to say about it that I just don't even want to discuss it all. I want to also make it clear that in no way does this review reflect upon the author herself!

So, we start off following the main character, Lulu, a high school teenager who has a love for science. She often helps her best friend Jek, with science experiments he conducts for fun. The two have been inseparable for years, but when Lulu notices Jek secluding himself more than normal, Lulu becomes worried about him.

Lulu knows that Jek dabbles in experimenting with, and developing drugs, but it isn't until a new friend of his shows up that she becomes more suspicious of his activities. Hyde, a man of secrets, becomes a more prominent figure as the story goes on.

When Lulu discovers Hyde's unwholesome parties, strange character, and devious acts, she tries to warn Jek of his actions. But Jek mysteriously disappearances during the time Hyde is present. she begins to unwind a sinister tale that will leave her heartbroken in the end.

Now, for the few things that I did like about this story:

#1 Seeing how the original The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story is steeped in sci-fi, I liked how this retelling followed suite in having a strong science-related theme.

#2 The depiction of Hyde's character was constructed well--what I read was pretty close to how I would imagine a "Hyde" would be. Elusive, changeable, and impressionable.

The things that I didn't like:

#1 This book is being marketed in the Young Adult genre. BY NO MEANS other than the fact that the characters are teenagers, is this book appropriate for young adult readers. I can't believe the amount of trashy unwholesome material this book has to offer for teen readers. Orgies, drugs, parties, murder, rape, and the like make up a majority of the discussion and setting in the book. Not to mention, the teens are completely unsupervised, and making drugs in their own homes, as well as having absolutely no guidance from their parents about the dangers of their actions.

#2 There is little to-no-surprise factor to the plot. It is very predictable from the beginning how things will end up, making me wish it was told in a different perspective altogether. There is no real mystery!

#3 Character development in the main character Lulu (as well as others), was heavily lacking. She worried about a lot of things, but was resistant to noticing the obvious staring her right in the face.

#4 Jek's character was ethnically different than majority of others, and it was supposed to be a positive trait. However, it actually turned out to be negative as Lulu's mother constantly commented on how "a guy like him" wasn't worth her daughter's time. There wasn't a point where his race was looked at in a positive light.

#5 The overall message:

"Hyde forced me to acknowledge a darkness I wanted to deny in myself...and in his way, he taught me to appreciate and respect that side of me as much as any other."

Wait...WHAT!? THIS is the takeaway that this book has to offer it's readers!? You MUST be joking, especially when you read it in full context of the passage.

(SPOILERS AHEAD) Lulu goes on to think:

"With his passion for understanding the universe, it must have tortured him to know that the thing that was destroying him was beyond his comprehension. I owe it to Jek to seek out the truth he couldn't uncover.
If I can find it--if I can isolate that mysterious compound that caused Jek's transformations--what doors might that open? Jek's experiment produced results beyond his wildest imagining, but there is still so much left untested. What effects might his drug have on a different subject? On me, for example. Would I split off and produce another Hyde, or someone completely different?
I can't stop wondering what my own shadow-self would be like...
And I can't wait to meet her."

...She says/thinks that just after watching her best friend commit suicide.

I think I'm hyperventilating.

Seriously, folks. This book is a huge problem. Lulu is saying that she now appreciates the part of her that can morph into a psychopathic murderer, rapist, drug-dealer? Yeah...NO. I can't help but wonder what would inspire such a resolution to a story like this.

I cannot rate this book more than 1 star, as I am thoroughly convinced it has hardly anything to offer any reader.

Vulgarity: Lots.
Sexual content: Lots. Including rape, orgies, and overall dark content.
Violence: Lots, including suicide.

Jek/Hyde has a lot of diversity in the characters that Amy Ross created. The story is very inventive and some teens will really enjoy the novel. I thought that the major drug use in the book was a little over top for this age group and that at times it was glorified by the science in the story. Jek didn't seem to take any responsibility for what he was doing to his "friends" and he took full advantage of Lulu. I thought that the tone of the story was extremely dark and that the parents seemed to be disengaged from their children. Amy Ross has a great storytelling ability and I would read another book by her. Jek/Hyde just wasn't something I would recommend to anyone under 17. Too adult in content for some young people.

I'm not sure readers even need to know the source material for this book because that might ruin the suspense over What Will Happen. As it is, Jek's chemistry experiments (designer, barely legal drugs, of course) will intrigue them, as will who Hyde is and why his relationship with, or hold over, Jek is so strong. The false notes that I noticed - the school's administration's laissez-faire attitude towards students, the town's structure - will probably not occur to teens, and my bigger quibble about Lulu's somewhat dispassionate account does get answered at the end (no spoilers!).

ARC provided by publisher.

I haven't read the original story, but I knew the basic story. While this story was an easy read, I did find parts that were unbelievable. The backstory of Jek and Lulu needed a little more flushed out. It wasn't believable that they would hook up to me. And it was especially weird about the relationship between Lulu and Hyde. This was a quick read, but it left me wanting something different. The end did set up a sequel, but I can't believe Lulu would want to continue Jek's experimenting after what happened to him.