Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard
Published by Razorbill on September 4, 2012
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 272
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
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A modern-day retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydewith a chilling twist

Harper has never been worried about falling in love, something she is skeptical even exists. But everything changes when Logan moves to town, and to Harper's shock, the two tumble into an intense romance. It's everything she never thought she wanted.

Then she meets Logan's twin brother, Caleb, who was expelled from his last school. True, he's a bad boy, but Harper can't shake the feeling that there's something deeply sinister about him--something dangerous. When Logan starts pulling away, Harper is convinced that Caleb's shadowy past is the wedge being driven between them. But by the time she uncovers the truth, it may be too late.

The author of Prada & Prejudice, You Wish, and Ripple delivers a modern-day retelling of a famously gothic tale, full of suspense, lies, and romance.

Dangerous Boy captured my attention with the prologue and I decided to pick it up solely based on that.  While it was not what I expected I found myself flying through the pages.  It’s nowhere close to being a favorite of mine but it entertained me and kept me guessing until the end.

First off, apparently this is a retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  I didn’t know that until the end of the book but it would not have made any difference to me since I’ve never read that book.  Fair warning though, if you’ve read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde the twists in Dangerous Boy might not be so shocking.

The story is dark and twisted though not horror movie scary.  Strange things are happening in Harper’s town; bones being left in mailboxes, birds dying in large groups, and bloody hand prints showing up places.  Things get even creepier when Harper meets her boyfriends identical twin brother, Daemon.  He’s creepy and bit stalker-like.  He’s obsessed with the murders that happened at their home and he uses the house’s history to terrify Harper.  He’s definitely not quite right.

Harper really did nothing for me and neither did her boyfriend, Logan.  They were a bit too cutesy for me.  Also, Harper was not the smartest.  She gets stalker-like messages and doesn’t tell anyone.  She’s terrified of some of the weirdest things and yet Logan can easily talk her into overcoming these fears.  It all seemed a bit too easy.

Also, nothing against the book but I kept thinking of The Vampire Diaries while reading.  Two brothers, one named Daemon, move to town with their uncle, one brother good, the other bad.  And I won’t spoil anything but those aren’t the only comparisons.

Overall, Dangerous Boy is an okay book if you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller.

What others are saying about Dangerous Boy:

Bookish’s review: “It started out so good. And turned around just as quickly.”

Itching for Books’ review: “Dangerous Boy is a creepy, mysterious, fast-paced story.”

Sarah’s Random Musings’ review: “I would recommend this book to anyone that wants an intense read with great atmosphere.”