Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Jekel Loves Hyde
by Beth Fantaskey

Genre: Young Adult | Supernatural Thriller | Romance

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, this good girl is tempted to peek inside, because the contents just might be key to winning a lucrative chemistry scholarship.

To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. As things heat up in the lab though, Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and will compel her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

Jill, a brilliant student, tragically lost her father and after learning some dark truths about him, must now win scholarship money to keep alive any hope of attending college. Tristen, an accomplished musician, is a British heart-throb, but deep down inside contains a dangerous monster just waiting to get out. Thus, both teenage descendants of the legendary Dr. Jekyll ( Jill Jekel ) and Mr. Hyde ( Tristen Hyde ) team up to recreate tricky experiments with the aid of an old box holding “original documents detailing the actual experiments that inspired the novel”. They both enter into their chemist partnership for different reasons, but soon realize things could never really turn out as they hope!

I had high hopes for this book since I thoroughly enjoyed Fantaskey's first book, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, but this book just kept getting worse and worse. I don't mind a dark tale as long as it is a good tale, but this one was just too morbidly unsatisfactory for my taste. Rape, abuse, murder, depression . . . those are just a few of the grim subjects touched throughout the story. Also, I couldn't say I liked the main characters: Jill was either way too timid or too brassy & Tristen came off as too vigilant and intent on only doing what he wanted. I could go into a lot of detail here as well on how the writing style conflicted much of the plot, how unbelievable their romantic relationship developed and the unsatisfying ending, but won't since I'll just say I was sorely disappointed and begrudgingly finished the book even though I knew it would get a low rating.

Likes: Can't think of much since there was just too much sadness and self-pity going on throughout.

Dislikes: Lots, but mostly . . . contains really heavy topics . . . so don't expect a cheery or delightful read.

Rating:

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Sexiest Vampire Alive by Kerrelyn Sparks

Sexiest Vampire Alive
(Love at Stake Book #11)
by Kerrelyn Sparks

Genre: Paranormal Romance

He was both a playboy and a vampire…and impossible to resist.

At the end of Vampire Mine, a terrible thing happened—a video was released that proved the existence of vampires. Now Vamps fear the worst, the Vampire Apocalypse! Will mortals start hunting vampires down and staking them in their death-sleep? At an emergency meeting, Coven Masters from around the world decide how to proceed. They need an emissary to open negotiations with the President of the United States. They want their emissary to be modern, safe, and harmless. A Vamp who has never bitten a mortal. A Vamp who has been entirely bottle-fed. Their choice—Gregori!

Now Gregori has the fate of the entire Vamp population on his shoulders. He’s given a special assignment that involves taking the president’s daughter on a dangerous mission. Will he succeed and save his friends? Or will he succumb to his playboy ways and doom them all?

Gregori has been a vampire for only 18 years, to many he is still a bottle-fed fledgling but to his mother, he's wasting precious baby making years by sleeping around and not finding "the one". Although he's highly successful at his job and is desired by many women, he's uncomfortable with his vampire status and is constantly reminding himself that he 'fits in' even though he may not feel it. When the vampire clan's secret identity becomes a critical problem, Gregori is ordered to protect all vampires by being a secret counsel to the President, a role he's trying to take extremely serious even though he's insanely attracted to the "first" daughter. To get what he wants, Gregori must accompany the President's daughter on a personal family mission of their own to China, but as one thing leads to another and danger looms too close for comfort, Gregori and Abigale must make a leap of their own into trust and love.

Kerrelyn Spark's book are usually a hit & miss for me, but this one was pure fun. What I enjoy most about her series is that her characters are crazy kooky and the male leads seem to contain a nice mixture of masculinity and vulnerability. The story was well written with lots of silly twists I didn't see coming. The chemistry created between Abby (aka "Scholar") and Gergori (aka "Gory") was constantly sizzling & intense. Plus, the side characters really added some enjoyment to the overall story without overshadowing a scene or coming off as annoying. Great Fall read!!!

Likes: "Sex on the Ceiling" OK that's HOT!!!

Dislikes: I listened to this on audio-book and some of the accents were a little (ok, A LOT!) off - which in itself was comically horrible!

Rating:

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Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

Perchance to Dream
(Théâtre Illuminata Book #2)
by Lisa Mantchev

Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal Romance | Young Adult

Act Two, Scene One
Enter Bertie And Company

Setting: The world outside the Théâtre

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith (Bertie):
Our charming and talented heroine

Nate: A suave, swashbuckling pirate in grave danger

Ariel: A brooding, seductive air spirit whose motives remain frustratingly hidden

Peaseblossom, Codweb, Moth, and Mustardseed: These fairies are indispensable if you need help dispatching with a pie or pudding

Growing up in the enchanted Théâtre Illuminata, Bertie learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts--but she didn't know that she had a role to play, too. Now that she's discovered her own magic, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales. And she's ready to write her own story, outside the productive walls of the Théâtre. But which way will her story go? Toward Nate, who's being held captive by the Sea Goddess, and loves Bertie dearly? Or should she write Ariel into her narrative? He's by her side every day, and she's finding his charms so very hard to resist . . .

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith's search for her stolen companion, Nate, has brought her traveling company far from the stage of the Théâtre Illuminata. With the power of her words, Bertie can reshape reality, but the magic is wild and defies her attempts to control it. The Pirate's time is running out and the Sea Goddess will not give up her prize willingly.

No matter what, Bertie is hell-bent on getting back Nate, dragging her crew through tough terrains and dangerous situations. Along the way, they meet some interesting characters that become pivotal figures in Bertie's current adventure and many secrets of her past become known. I was excited to check out book # 2 in this series, but unfortunately, this was a so-so read for me. It was VERY dramatic and kind of all-over-the-place. Plus, it was almost too much fantasy for my taste, esp. with the whole "words = reality" problem (in which Bertie became stubborn in using!) There is a big adjustment for the "Company" in dealing with people/places in the "modern" world compared to being inside the Théâtre, so that in itself was fascinating to read about, but overall it was entertaining and theatrical.

Likes: Bertie's "triangle" relationship with Nate & Ariel truly heated up in this story and I don't see it simmering down for awhile until Bertie finally makes a decision between the two.

Dislikes: The fairies come off to me as more annoying than comical!

Rating:

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The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

The False Princess
by Eilis O'Neal

Genre: Fairy Tale | Supernatural | Young Adult | Fantasy

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia has led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when she learns, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city, her best friend, Kiernan, and the only life she’s ever known. Sent to live with her only surviving relative, a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. Then she discovers that magic runs through her veins – long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control – and she realizes that she will never learn to be just a simple village girl. Sinda returns to the city to seek answers. Instead, she rediscovers the boy who refused to forsake her, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor’s history, forever.

For sixteen years, Nalia had been raised as the princess of Thorvaldor, but one day she learned that her real name was Sinda and that she was part of a complicated plot that would change the future of her country forever. The concept was very intriguing and the emotional aspects really kept the story going for me, but you do get A LOT (almost too much!) thrown into the tale: old magic, royal conspiracies, dark wizards, rocky family history, abandonment problems, sneaky religious acts, oracle prophesies, and much much more. It almost felt as if there were different plot lines running throughout the entire story, but overall it was interesting and an okay read. The setting (be it castle or country-side) was fascinating to me and Nalia/Sinda's torn feelings about her "injustice" was gut-wrenching to witness as times but the end-result worked out well for Kiernan's ultimate plan which was sweet and satisfying. Lots of twists, heartbreak, and supernatural elements come to life in The False Princess - so, expect a bumpy but enjoyable ride.

Likes: Kiernan's perpetual feelings toward Sinda after her sudden separation from the royal family was very sentimental and charming.

Dislikes: The three-hundred-year-old map of the palace grounds about the secret location of King Kelman's Door that Sinda and Kiernan discovered at the very beginning was a big flop (very un-climatic!) for me. I had high-hopes that it would become more central to the whole tale, but when it finally came into play near that end . . . I kept asking " That's it! " I wanted more to it: more magic, more historical importance, or even more of a pivotal role in the whole story.

Rating:

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The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye

The Ordinary Princess
by M.M. Kaye

Genre: Fairy Tale | Juvenile Fantasy

All Across the Kingdom, excitement is running high: a seventh princess, always the luckiest and most beautiful of all, has just been born to good King Huldebrand and Her Majesty Queen Rodehesia. When the christening day arrives, the little princess is showered with the most extravagant, marvelous presents imaginable -- until her last, most powerful fairy godmother proclaims/gifts her as ordinary. And so she is. Princess Amy look so ordinary, so unprincesslike, that no prince can be found to marry her. The King and Queen are desperate. But Amy knows that she doesn't want to be wed to a royal stranger, and runs away from home, embarking on a most extraordinary adventure for the Ordinary Princess!

Along with Wit, Charm, Health, and Courage, Princess Amy of Phantasmorania receives a special fairy christening gift: Ordinariness. Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries . . . or become a Queen. When her royal parents try to marry her off, Amy runs away and, because she's so ordinary, easily becomes the fourteenth assistant kitchen maid at a neighboring palace. And there . . . much to everyone's surprise . . . she meets a prince just as ordinary (and special) as she is!

"Lavender's blue,

Rosemary's green,
When I am King
You shall be Queen"

What an adorable book!!!! I've heard great things about this child's story for awhile now and never read it as a young girl, yet I picked it up from my local library and feel in love with the tale. Amy (aka Her Serene and Royal Highness the Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne) was born into pomp and circumstance, she had a "very grand nursery" (pg 5) and "had no less than twelve attendants all her own" (pg 6) She was also the youngest of her sisters who were all "blond, blue-eyed, and beautiful, with lovely figures and complexions and extravagantly long hair" Yet, Amy was gifted with "something that [would] probably bring [her] more happiness than all [the other] fal-lals and fripperies put together" . . . "You shall be Ordinary!" (pg 16) As she grew, gone was the use of her extravagant name, her curls became straighter & darker, her blue eyes became gray-ish-brown and "her nose got frecklier and frecklier in spite of all the Queen's lily lotions and lemon juice." (pg 27) Since she never had as much attention granted to her because of her "not-so-goodish" self, she was able to escape into the forest to play and feel in love with climbing trees and making friends with the animals and when she discovered a secret plot about her family and her future - she decided to run away to live a life she has always dreams off. She never expected to befriend a prince along the way and actually fall in love with someone who loved her for herself and not her royal-lifestyle. So sweet!

Expect a quick read that has lots of wonderful illustrations and rich detailed settings. Many of the characters are very likable, while some strongly annoying, but written well overall. The tale runs smoothly and interestingly enough that you easily become absorbed in Amy's easy-going agenda. The romance is sweet and innocent and I wish I had more upon finishing, great stuff!!

Likes: Amy was such an empowering character, she never let her "gift" become a bad thing in her eyes and thought of it always as a blessing when to everyone else in her kingdom, it was a curse.

Dislikes: It was sad how unsupporting the parents were, esp. her father's use of the word "rash" UGH!

Rating:

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I'm back!

I've returned from my vacation, book reviews to resume shortly . . .

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Laters . . .

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