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Dangerous Boy
Harper's new boyfriend Logan Townsend is everything she never knew she always wanted--tall, muscular, with tousled brown hair that falls effortlessly around his face. But what's most exciting about Logan is that he's exhilaratingly dangerous, and dating him allows Harper to say, "buh bye" to her good-girl past and "hello" to newfound adventure.
There's only one problem with Harper's otherwise heart-stopping Logan's twin brother Daemon. Harper knows he's a bad seed, but she tries to look past his dark, icy stare and his chilling demeanor. After all, he and Logan are a package deal.
Then cow bones start appearing in people's mailboxes, a flock of birds show up dead, and all of the cars in the senior parking lot are given flat tires--and covered with blood-red handprints. Logan insists that Daemon isn't involved--sure, he's had some trouble in the past, but they moved to Harper's quiet northwest Washington town so that they could both start over.
Harper desperately wants to believe Logan, but the more he tries to protect his brother, the more she wonders what she isn't being told. Now, Harper must unearth the hidden secrets of the mysterious Townsend brothers' history if she and Logan are to have any hope of a future. But learning what brought Logan and Daemon to town won't put just her heart in jeopardy... She's playing with her life.
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.
There's only one problem with Harper's otherwise heart-stopping Logan's twin brother Daemon. Harper knows he's a bad seed, but she tries to look past his dark, icy stare and his chilling demeanor. After all, he and Logan are a package deal.
Then cow bones start appearing in people's mailboxes, a flock of birds show up dead, and all of the cars in the senior parking lot are given flat tires--and covered with blood-red handprints. Logan insists that Daemon isn't involved--sure, he's had some trouble in the past, but they moved to Harper's quiet northwest Washington town so that they could both start over.
Harper desperately wants to believe Logan, but the more he tries to protect his brother, the more she wonders what she isn't being told. Now, Harper must unearth the hidden secrets of the mysterious Townsend brothers' history if she and Logan are to have any hope of a future. But learning what brought Logan and Daemon to town won't put just her heart in jeopardy... She's playing with her life.
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.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2012
15 people are currently reading
2553 people want to read
About the author
Mandy Hubbard
11 books812 followersMandy Hubbard is the author of PRADA & PREJUDICE and YOU WISH, both novels for teens now in stores. In 2011, her releases include BUT I LOVE HIM (written as Amanda Grace) and RIPPLE. She is also a literary agent for D4EO Literary Agency. For more information, visit her website.
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April 26, 2016Is it weird that I want Harper to end up with Daemon?
November 27, 2018
Dangerous Boy is a tough book to review because enjoying it hinges on being in the dark about one crucial fact. Figure it out too soon, and the entire book comes crumbling down like a house of cards. Unfortunately, it’s also the first sentence of the summary, and I really have to mention it in order to give this book a proper review. So word of warning, if you’re looking for a cute yet creepy psychological thriller and have no problems with the kind of book I just described, STOP READING NOW, pick up the book, and enjoy. Otherwise, you’ve been warned.
Ok, with that disclaimer out of the way, yeah, Dangerous Boy is a Jekyll and Hyde adaptation. Anyone going into the book knowing that will immediately see how the story’s going to play out with Logan and Daemon and Trent, so a lot of the red herrings Hubbard tosses in to muddy up the predictability of the story, the twins angle for instance, will be extremely transparent, maybe even seem pointless. The ending too, it’ll feel a bit tacked on, like details are stretched just to get the red herrings to all work. But if you followed my advice and stayed away from that huge spoiler, the story does have a rather unpredictable feel. There are a couple of cheap thrills moments, like basically the entirety of the corn maze scene, but I found them nonetheless enjoyably hilarious, and there are some genuinely suspenseful scenes too, more than one feeling like it was ripped straight from a Hitchcock movie.
The characters only serve to enhance the unsettling premise. The prologue teases of something horribly wrong. after that easily frightened Harper and her sometimes paranoia set up so many fake outs, I kept wondering scene after scene whether it’d finally be the scene where she meets her end. Oh, and all the excuses her boyfriend Logan gives for his suspicious behavior, stay clear of Jekyll and Hyde and they actually sound reasonable. Even though I knew it had to be him, the string of odd, chilling, and even nightmarish events that happen to Harper and her friends Adam, Allie, and Bick definitely serve up some good thrills. Actually, the only thing that felt out of place was mean girl Madison and her sudden bathroom epiphany that seems to happen to all mean girls, particularly in contemporaries, I didn’t get why that was included. Oh well.
But the bigger problem for me is Dangerous Boy completely misses the point of Jekyll and Hyde, as the story of a mild-mannered man holding back his inner beast. Logan's more interesting conceptually as the titular character than practically, he doesn't get that much character development when he needs it, unfortunately, so while the ending makes sense from Harper's perspective, it's not really satisfying from Logan's. I'm not sure he learns anything from his duplicity. Which is why I think Dangerous Boy should really be billed as inspired by Jekyll and Hyde, not a retelling of Jekyell and Hyde.
But nevermind that, sure Dangerous Boy isn’t a particularly complex book and is really predictable once the Jekyll and Hyde connection is made, but I enjoyed the creepy moments and spooky atmosphere nonetheless. Plus, I’m a sucker for any and all Jekyll and Hyde and this one is still quite entertaining as light horror goes.
Ok, with that disclaimer out of the way, yeah, Dangerous Boy is a Jekyll and Hyde adaptation. Anyone going into the book knowing that will immediately see how the story’s going to play out with Logan and Daemon and Trent, so a lot of the red herrings Hubbard tosses in to muddy up the predictability of the story, the twins angle for instance, will be extremely transparent, maybe even seem pointless. The ending too, it’ll feel a bit tacked on, like details are stretched just to get the red herrings to all work. But if you followed my advice and stayed away from that huge spoiler, the story does have a rather unpredictable feel. There are a couple of cheap thrills moments, like basically the entirety of the corn maze scene, but I found them nonetheless enjoyably hilarious, and there are some genuinely suspenseful scenes too, more than one feeling like it was ripped straight from a Hitchcock movie.
The characters only serve to enhance the unsettling premise. The prologue teases of something horribly wrong. after that easily frightened Harper and her sometimes paranoia set up so many fake outs, I kept wondering scene after scene whether it’d finally be the scene where she meets her end. Oh, and all the excuses her boyfriend Logan gives for his suspicious behavior, stay clear of Jekyll and Hyde and they actually sound reasonable. Even though I knew it had to be him, the string of odd, chilling, and even nightmarish events that happen to Harper and her friends Adam, Allie, and Bick definitely serve up some good thrills. Actually, the only thing that felt out of place was mean girl Madison and her sudden bathroom epiphany that seems to happen to all mean girls, particularly in contemporaries, I didn’t get why that was included. Oh well.
But the bigger problem for me is Dangerous Boy completely misses the point of Jekyll and Hyde, as the story of a mild-mannered man holding back his inner beast. Logan's more interesting conceptually as the titular character than practically, he doesn't get that much character development when he needs it, unfortunately, so while the ending makes sense from Harper's perspective, it's not really satisfying from Logan's. I'm not sure he learns anything from his duplicity. Which is why I think Dangerous Boy should really be billed as inspired by Jekyll and Hyde, not a retelling of Jekyell and Hyde.
But nevermind that, sure Dangerous Boy isn’t a particularly complex book and is really predictable once the Jekyll and Hyde connection is made, but I enjoyed the creepy moments and spooky atmosphere nonetheless. Plus, I’m a sucker for any and all Jekyll and Hyde and this one is still quite entertaining as light horror goes.
June 14, 2012
Actual, full reaction: Original is here on my blog. (Note: Due to copy-and-paste, formatting and links have been lost. View the review on my blog for utmost effect.)
Having never read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and not knowing anything about the story, I was massively unprepared for Dangerous Boy. For those of you who have read my Scary School review... this book is definitely type 1 scary for me. It's a thriller that's punctuated by staccatos of humor painted against a background of simmering horror. It's got great, developed characters and shocking twists for the reader to revel in.
And it's got one heck of a scary story that was never meant for me.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I never bluff except in the field of fears. At school, when the girls are squealing because a bug just flew into the room, I'll be all nonchalant and say, "it's just a bug, guys. It's not going to hurt you." But at home, I'm either frozen up in fear if I see a flying bug, or I'm asking my brother to kill the darn thing for me. Clearly, I am a coward. Which is why I would make a very bad pirate. (I have no idea where that came from.) And why it was a bad idea for me to read this book.
It's not that there is bloody murder going on (though there is), or that there are strange occurrences labeled to leave a chill (though there are). It's more that the abusive Daemon's behavior got to me instead. He's scary as heck and, thank goodness, Harper doesn't "fall in love" with him to "transform him into a country gentleman." She runs. You gotta give props to that girl for having the basic survival instinct that many books, especially YA, lack.
So I suppose, to sum it all up, that the truth is that this book was good but sadly a disappointing fit for me. It's like Stephen King for teens with an originality that's sure to intrigue. Only, as much as I love The Master, some of his books also scare me to almost-but-not-quite-death.
For fans of horror and resignation with doses of creativity and wry humor in between, Dangerous Boy is one heck of a novel that's selective but effective.
Having never read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and not knowing anything about the story, I was massively unprepared for Dangerous Boy. For those of you who have read my Scary School review... this book is definitely type 1 scary for me. It's a thriller that's punctuated by staccatos of humor painted against a background of simmering horror. It's got great, developed characters and shocking twists for the reader to revel in.
And it's got one heck of a scary story that was never meant for me.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I never bluff except in the field of fears. At school, when the girls are squealing because a bug just flew into the room, I'll be all nonchalant and say, "it's just a bug, guys. It's not going to hurt you." But at home, I'm either frozen up in fear if I see a flying bug, or I'm asking my brother to kill the darn thing for me. Clearly, I am a coward. Which is why I would make a very bad pirate. (I have no idea where that came from.) And why it was a bad idea for me to read this book.
It's not that there is bloody murder going on (though there is), or that there are strange occurrences labeled to leave a chill (though there are). It's more that the abusive Daemon's behavior got to me instead. He's scary as heck and, thank goodness, Harper doesn't "fall in love" with him to "transform him into a country gentleman." She runs. You gotta give props to that girl for having the basic survival instinct that many books, especially YA, lack.
So I suppose, to sum it all up, that the truth is that this book was good but sadly a disappointing fit for me. It's like Stephen King for teens with an originality that's sure to intrigue. Only, as much as I love The Master, some of his books also scare me to almost-but-not-quite-death.
For fans of horror and resignation with doses of creativity and wry humor in between, Dangerous Boy is one heck of a novel that's selective but effective.
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February 5, 2022What an absolute waste of time! Harper lives on a dairy farm and is bedazzled when city boy Logan bestows his favor on her. She is lucky that her cousin Adam, best friend Alllie and future boyfriend Bick don't leave her in his clutches. Harper was a horrible character who sighs and swoons whenever Logan looks her way. She should be ostracized from womanhood.
May 28, 2013
Quite possibly one of the the worst books I've ever read. The only reason I even made it to the last page was because I absolutely hate leaving a book unfinished.
I had two main problems with this book (although there were several other minor things).
Firstly, the main character. She is drab and her voice is completely monotone. Not only that, but she lets her infatuation with a certain guy define her character. The boys she dates define her instead of her defining herself. Her thought process was immensely boring and lacking complexity. I dreaded turning the page and reading more about her mediocre life and relationships. She was so oblivious it was actually kind of funny.
Secondly, the storyline. It's fragmented and does not flow. The plot makes no sense and is extremely vague. The author tries to start the book with something intriguing and alluring, but from then on the story just goes downhill. The everyday lives of the main characters was boring to read about and nothing particularly attention-grabbing happened. The worst part was that the author ended the book without answering the lingering questions. She was probably thinking, "Oh I can't really tie all of this together so let me just provide some vague ending that barely makes any sense and let the reader do all the work...". Well I didn't care enough about this book to wonder what happened; I just slammed it closed and threw it on the floor, annoyed that I had wasted my time reading that nonsense.
I had two main problems with this book (although there were several other minor things).
Firstly, the main character. She is drab and her voice is completely monotone. Not only that, but she lets her infatuation with a certain guy define her character. The boys she dates define her instead of her defining herself. Her thought process was immensely boring and lacking complexity. I dreaded turning the page and reading more about her mediocre life and relationships. She was so oblivious it was actually kind of funny.
Secondly, the storyline. It's fragmented and does not flow. The plot makes no sense and is extremely vague. The author tries to start the book with something intriguing and alluring, but from then on the story just goes downhill. The everyday lives of the main characters was boring to read about and nothing particularly attention-grabbing happened. The worst part was that the author ended the book without answering the lingering questions. She was probably thinking, "Oh I can't really tie all of this together so let me just provide some vague ending that barely makes any sense and let the reader do all the work...". Well I didn't care enough about this book to wonder what happened; I just slammed it closed and threw it on the floor, annoyed that I had wasted my time reading that nonsense.
September 27, 2012
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm really conflicted with this book.
I don't know if I LIKED it or if I HATED it.
I kinda guessed the situation with Logan/Trent. Not exactly but the fact that they were one of the same. It's hard to guess spot on the whole situation as you don't have all the information at your disposal since then you'd have no mystery, no story.
The prologue was fetching. That really gripped me and at first I was reading this book like I was on speed. It wa a real page turner.
THEN- uhoh- the downfall. I grew bored, tired and sullen with the whole thing. It was dragged out way to long and the ending- well I'm a sucker for a good ending and the ending in this case didn't suffice my inner romantic.
I always thought Bick and Harper were made for each other, a match made in HEAVEN so when there was no cuddles, a little hand-holding even and a kiss to end it off lovely, I was not happy.
Hence my mixed views.
Really not sure so 3 stars- an inbetweener - not amazing but not a disaster either.
I don't know if I LIKED it or if I HATED it.
I kinda guessed the situation with Logan/Trent. Not exactly but the fact that they were one of the same. It's hard to guess spot on the whole situation as you don't have all the information at your disposal since then you'd have no mystery, no story.
The prologue was fetching. That really gripped me and at first I was reading this book like I was on speed. It wa a real page turner.
THEN- uhoh- the downfall. I grew bored, tired and sullen with the whole thing. It was dragged out way to long and the ending- well I'm a sucker for a good ending and the ending in this case didn't suffice my inner romantic.
I always thought Bick and Harper were made for each other, a match made in HEAVEN so when there was no cuddles, a little hand-holding even and a kiss to end it off lovely, I was not happy.
Hence my mixed views.
Really not sure so 3 stars- an inbetweener - not amazing but not a disaster either.
March 1, 2017
The publisher did readers a huge disservice telling us that this is a Jekyll and Hyde retelling. That's a major spoiler, and it made me far less intrigued and curious. I knew what was going to happen before I even opened the book, and I was right on the money. This could have been very exciting and suspenseful, but all I could do was roll my eyes at the dumb decisions Harper made.
February 15, 2013
Loved it. A solid thriller, full of secrets and surprises. The mystery was pretty good, the tension was building up steadily all the way till the end, and the ending was very satisfying, though open to interpretation! I highly recommend it ;)
August 10, 2021
So I gave this story 4 stars. And this is why. It lost a star with me because of the prologue. I could have almost forgiven it, however having to read it over again in near the end of the book, threw me off. I hate when authors that do that shit. Prologue is supposed to be the backstory, or the lead up to the story. Not a big chunk of what the middle of the book is. I mean maybe for some deranged reason other authors do this, but it has never made sense to me. I personally wouldn't do it either. It frustrates us. Get that through your head to all the authors that think that this is the right practice. It's not.
Moving on to the good stuff. I figured it out right away. As soon as Logan decided to tell everybody he didn't want them to sit down with his brother, I knew there was some sort of multiple personality going on. Do I believe in the soul thing? No. I don't. I do believe in multiple personalities. And I do believe in trauma. And put those together and they kind of suck.
And I also knew why the bad guy went after Bick. I mean hello, remember in the cafeteria when he said he couldn't ask anyone to dance because the person he wanted to ask was already going with someone else? Right before that he was talking about the dance. So obviously he wanted to go with somebody at that table. And it doesn't take a freaking genius to figure out who it was.
And seriously she must have been blind as a freaking bat. I could tell the guy liked her even before it was mentioned at the end of the book. I mean come on are you blind?
I am happy with the ending. I'm happy that you know who didn't die. I don't know if I believe that it's all like happy ending for him. As in being in his own body. And I really wish there was more about Harper and Bick.
All in all it was a cute story. I mean I don't know. I liked it but at the same time that prologue really threw me off.
I would maybe check out more of the author's books. However if I open the book and there's a prologue talking about something that's going to happen anyway, I'm just going to skip that all together. And every time in any of their books I see that prologue being something that's going to happen, that I'm going to be forced to read again, then I'm going to drop a star.
Moving on to the good stuff. I figured it out right away. As soon as Logan decided to tell everybody he didn't want them to sit down with his brother, I knew there was some sort of multiple personality going on. Do I believe in the soul thing? No. I don't. I do believe in multiple personalities. And I do believe in trauma. And put those together and they kind of suck.
And I also knew why the bad guy went after Bick. I mean hello, remember in the cafeteria when he said he couldn't ask anyone to dance because the person he wanted to ask was already going with someone else? Right before that he was talking about the dance. So obviously he wanted to go with somebody at that table. And it doesn't take a freaking genius to figure out who it was.
And seriously she must have been blind as a freaking bat. I could tell the guy liked her even before it was mentioned at the end of the book. I mean come on are you blind?
I am happy with the ending. I'm happy that you know who didn't die. I don't know if I believe that it's all like happy ending for him. As in being in his own body. And I really wish there was more about Harper and Bick.
All in all it was a cute story. I mean I don't know. I liked it but at the same time that prologue really threw me off.
I would maybe check out more of the author's books. However if I open the book and there's a prologue talking about something that's going to happen anyway, I'm just going to skip that all together. And every time in any of their books I see that prologue being something that's going to happen, that I'm going to be forced to read again, then I'm going to drop a star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2012
Spoilers
Shy and cautious Harper can't believe that Logan, the gorgeous new guy is interested in her. After dating Logan for a few weeks Harper is pleased to find that her relationship is going well, that is until she meets Logan's deranged twin brother, Daemon. Harper's new relationship is tested when Daemon takes an unhealthy interest in her. Harper is convinced there's more to Daemon than she was led to believe and when strange things start happening around her town, she starts to suspect that Daemon is behind it all and sets about exposing him.
-I liked the first part of the book - there were a few creepy parts that had me hooked but Harper's POV was so blah that I couldn't enjoy it as much as I would have had the protagonist been half decent. The 'twist' was predictable - I was irritated that it took Harper so long to figure things out - actually she didn't even figure things out because she was told everything in the end. Most of the story dragged as the bulk of the book was just one freaky thing happening after another.
-Harper was the typical, boring YA heroine. There was nothing unique about her - nobody understood her, she was all alone, she had 1 dead parent and 1 absent parent, she thought she was plain even though she's wasn't, she dressed in jeans and t-shirts and generally made little effort in her appearance - all to give the illusion that she was deep and profound. She was a rubbish heroine - she was weak and sacred about the most stupidest of things. She was just a boring loser. Her fears weren't charming or endearing they were irritating and it just made me hate her.
-I can't say Logan was the typical YA hero, he did however have a few cliches - like being model good looking and also having a tortured past. The romance between Logan and Harper was dreary.
I was pissed that Harper could only conquer her fears because of Logan - she only knew him for a month and he managed to persuade her to face her fears, yet she didn't listen to any of her life long friends who had tried for years to make Harper more adventurous...ugh.
It's just so unrealistic and insulting that most heroines live a mundane life and do nothing of meaning or importance until the hero shows up and changes her life. Aren't heroines meant to be admirable and strong? What's admirable about them not living their lives to their full potential until they're introduced to the hero?
-Of course, like all YA books the mean girl hated the heroine for no good reason, she was also flirty, wore make up and revealing clothes. Apparently all girls that date, flirt, go to parties and make an effort with their appearance are evul sluts.
-The ending reveal about Logan, Daemon, Trent was expected but the explanations of who was who wasn't very clear - it just came across as nonsense in the end.
Overall, I was disappointed in this book - the concept wasn't original, the execution was poorly done and the characters were all generic. I was glad to see that Harper didn't make any excuses for Logan/Daemon and that she didn't try to 'save' him or redeem him like the usual BS in YA where the heroine forgives the heroes for all their psychotic behaviour.
Shy and cautious Harper can't believe that Logan, the gorgeous new guy is interested in her. After dating Logan for a few weeks Harper is pleased to find that her relationship is going well, that is until she meets Logan's deranged twin brother, Daemon. Harper's new relationship is tested when Daemon takes an unhealthy interest in her. Harper is convinced there's more to Daemon than she was led to believe and when strange things start happening around her town, she starts to suspect that Daemon is behind it all and sets about exposing him.
-I liked the first part of the book - there were a few creepy parts that had me hooked but Harper's POV was so blah that I couldn't enjoy it as much as I would have had the protagonist been half decent. The 'twist' was predictable - I was irritated that it took Harper so long to figure things out - actually she didn't even figure things out because she was told everything in the end. Most of the story dragged as the bulk of the book was just one freaky thing happening after another.
-Harper was the typical, boring YA heroine. There was nothing unique about her - nobody understood her, she was all alone, she had 1 dead parent and 1 absent parent, she thought she was plain even though she's wasn't, she dressed in jeans and t-shirts and generally made little effort in her appearance - all to give the illusion that she was deep and profound. She was a rubbish heroine - she was weak and sacred about the most stupidest of things. She was just a boring loser. Her fears weren't charming or endearing they were irritating and it just made me hate her.
-I can't say Logan was the typical YA hero, he did however have a few cliches - like being model good looking and also having a tortured past. The romance between Logan and Harper was dreary.
I was pissed that Harper could only conquer her fears because of Logan - she only knew him for a month and he managed to persuade her to face her fears, yet she didn't listen to any of her life long friends who had tried for years to make Harper more adventurous...ugh.
It's just so unrealistic and insulting that most heroines live a mundane life and do nothing of meaning or importance until the hero shows up and changes her life. Aren't heroines meant to be admirable and strong? What's admirable about them not living their lives to their full potential until they're introduced to the hero?
-Of course, like all YA books the mean girl hated the heroine for no good reason, she was also flirty, wore make up and revealing clothes. Apparently all girls that date, flirt, go to parties and make an effort with their appearance are evul sluts.
-The ending reveal about Logan, Daemon, Trent was expected but the explanations of who was who wasn't very clear - it just came across as nonsense in the end.
Overall, I was disappointed in this book - the concept wasn't original, the execution was poorly done and the characters were all generic. I was glad to see that Harper didn't make any excuses for Logan/Daemon and that she didn't try to 'save' him or redeem him like the usual BS in YA where the heroine forgives the heroes for all their psychotic behaviour.
December 2, 2015
I kind of figured this book was going to be lame, but I've been wrong before. This time however, I wasn't wrong.
Reading the description I actually though it was going to be a werwolf or monster book with brothers that actually wanted to protect each other but no. It was just a lame, poorly executed book that I still don't know whether or not was supposed to be supernatural. The characters are bland, the writing is bleh, and the storyline was stupid and badly executed. It was like someone described a psychological thriller to the author but the author had no prior knowledge of what that was.
First off, Harper is a ditz even though everyone thinks she's all that. Logan is a lame boyfriend, he lies all the time, (though at least Harper gets onto him for that and doesn't just brush it off) and he won't say anything, and he's also a terrible brother. (Though this is kind of all explained later, but I'll get to that). It starts of kind of like a fun creepy story but fast becomes just a lame story that's not creepy at all, just tedious. I think I kind of got super done with this after there was a Titanic binge watch that ended in a makeover. Kill me now.
Okay, the rest has to be a spoiler because I can't describe it without spoiling the story.
There was also the fact that there was homeschool bashing in this book like only weirdos and freaks are home schooled because they can't be allowed around 'normal' kids. And this coming from a small farm town where homeschoolers are found a lot of times. Anyway, rant over.
This book wasn't worth the time to read it even though it's super short.
1 1/2 stars.
Reading the description I actually though it was going to be a werwolf or monster book with brothers that actually wanted to protect each other but no. It was just a lame, poorly executed book that I still don't know whether or not was supposed to be supernatural. The characters are bland, the writing is bleh, and the storyline was stupid and badly executed. It was like someone described a psychological thriller to the author but the author had no prior knowledge of what that was.
First off, Harper is a ditz even though everyone thinks she's all that. Logan is a lame boyfriend, he lies all the time, (though at least Harper gets onto him for that and doesn't just brush it off) and he won't say anything, and he's also a terrible brother. (Though this is kind of all explained later, but I'll get to that). It starts of kind of like a fun creepy story but fast becomes just a lame story that's not creepy at all, just tedious. I think I kind of got super done with this after there was a Titanic binge watch that ended in a makeover. Kill me now.
Okay, the rest has to be a spoiler because I can't describe it without spoiling the story.
There was also the fact that there was homeschool bashing in this book like only weirdos and freaks are home schooled because they can't be allowed around 'normal' kids. And this coming from a small farm town where homeschoolers are found a lot of times. Anyway, rant over.
This book wasn't worth the time to read it even though it's super short.
1 1/2 stars.
April 16, 2012
My Thoughts: What can I say about this one? I adore Hubbards books. I'm always thrilled to get my hands on them and I always adore them. I love her writing style, I love her characters, I always love them! I really enjoyed reading Dangerous Boy and I liked how it all ended but there were parts where I was one confused girl.
We are introduced to Harper who is smart but shy. She doesn't like to take risks, and always plays on the safe side. She has a close group of friends and of course a girl she doesn't get along with. She was a pretty likeable character for me. Than we are introduced to Logan. Logan is a new boy at Harper's school that she falls in love with. He moved to her tiny town a few months ago and they have been dating ever since. She doesn't know how he likes her so much, he's so out of her league.
Logan and Harper have a lot in common. They can relate to each other. Both have lost a parent (Logan lost two) and they understand each other.
One day, she meets his twin brother Daemon. Daemon is the complete opposite of Logan. While Logan is sweet, Daemon is ruthless and has gotten in a lot of trouble. He was expelled from his previous school.
Harper starts to get notes from a secret admirer, mean notes, threatening notes. Notes that say someone is watching her.
Other creepy events are happening around town as well which puts everyone on edge. Nobody knows who is doing them or why.
Harper tries to find out more about Daemon from Logan but Logan never wants to talk about. The one thing he does want to talk about is helping Harper get over her fears. She has a list of her deepest fears.
I enjoyed the book but it started to feel a little slow, and I wanted a turn of events, where something outrageous happened. I got my wish towards the end of the book. It was crazy. I won't go into spoilers but I was wondering if this was how it was going to take a turn. Logan and Daemon. It kind of creeped me out a little bit but I'm ok with how it went down and how it ended. Talk about creepy and insane and really "out there."
Dangerous Boy was definitely weird. But an crazy intense weird.
Overall: This book is kind of different when you think about it. I don't think it was as good as You Wish or Prada and Prejudice but it was a pretty good book. Its not really Hubbards main style. I'm giving it 4 cupcakes because I do think it was unique and a step over from her normal books.
Cover: I think the cover is really neat. I love the colors and how the girl is holding hands with one boy while another is in the distance. Also love the clouds and how it looks like its going to storm.
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
___________
Taken From Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
We are introduced to Harper who is smart but shy. She doesn't like to take risks, and always plays on the safe side. She has a close group of friends and of course a girl she doesn't get along with. She was a pretty likeable character for me. Than we are introduced to Logan. Logan is a new boy at Harper's school that she falls in love with. He moved to her tiny town a few months ago and they have been dating ever since. She doesn't know how he likes her so much, he's so out of her league.
Logan and Harper have a lot in common. They can relate to each other. Both have lost a parent (Logan lost two) and they understand each other.
One day, she meets his twin brother Daemon. Daemon is the complete opposite of Logan. While Logan is sweet, Daemon is ruthless and has gotten in a lot of trouble. He was expelled from his previous school.
Harper starts to get notes from a secret admirer, mean notes, threatening notes. Notes that say someone is watching her.
Other creepy events are happening around town as well which puts everyone on edge. Nobody knows who is doing them or why.
Harper tries to find out more about Daemon from Logan but Logan never wants to talk about. The one thing he does want to talk about is helping Harper get over her fears. She has a list of her deepest fears.
I enjoyed the book but it started to feel a little slow, and I wanted a turn of events, where something outrageous happened. I got my wish towards the end of the book. It was crazy. I won't go into spoilers but I was wondering if this was how it was going to take a turn. Logan and Daemon. It kind of creeped me out a little bit but I'm ok with how it went down and how it ended. Talk about creepy and insane and really "out there."
Dangerous Boy was definitely weird. But an crazy intense weird.
Overall: This book is kind of different when you think about it. I don't think it was as good as You Wish or Prada and Prejudice but it was a pretty good book. Its not really Hubbards main style. I'm giving it 4 cupcakes because I do think it was unique and a step over from her normal books.
Cover: I think the cover is really neat. I love the colors and how the girl is holding hands with one boy while another is in the distance. Also love the clouds and how it looks like its going to storm.
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
___________
Taken From Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
May 7, 2012
Thank you to Around The World ARC Tours for allowing me to read Dangerous Boy. I have to tell you this book comes out in August but it is a MUST READ! Lord there where so many twists and turns I loved every minute of it. The cover of this book is so on that after I finished the book I had to go back and look at the cover and then re-read the blurb.
Harper is just your average teen having fun with her friends. That is until the day she goes to the bakery to get her father a coffee and she meets the heart stopping beautiful Logan. She is awkward when it comes to boys so she is surprised that he is paying her any attention. But as luck would have it she has caught the attention of Logan and they soon start hanging out.
Logan is good for Harper because she has a lot of fears since her mother died and Logan helps her get over them. Harper has never told anyone of her fears but she trust Logan and in return he helps her face all of her fears. The closer they get the more intense their relationship gets.Harper is so excited that she can finally face her fears with Logan by her side.
As Harper gets to know Logan they soon realize that there are some weird things happening on in the small farming town they live in. Harper and others have found cow bones in their mail boxes and other strange things are happening. The only thing is everyone thinks it is the work of a crazy person but Harper thinks it is someone else. Someone that is close to them is keeping a secret. A deep dark secret and when it comes out no one expected it. The town is in shock and someone is heart broken.
What will Harper do when she finds out who is doing all these bad things to her town and her friends? Will she live long enough to tell someone who is doing these bad things? Come along on a dangerous adventure and find out who is trying to hurt the people Harper loves.
Harper is just your average teen having fun with her friends. That is until the day she goes to the bakery to get her father a coffee and she meets the heart stopping beautiful Logan. She is awkward when it comes to boys so she is surprised that he is paying her any attention. But as luck would have it she has caught the attention of Logan and they soon start hanging out.
Logan is good for Harper because she has a lot of fears since her mother died and Logan helps her get over them. Harper has never told anyone of her fears but she trust Logan and in return he helps her face all of her fears. The closer they get the more intense their relationship gets.Harper is so excited that she can finally face her fears with Logan by her side.
As Harper gets to know Logan they soon realize that there are some weird things happening on in the small farming town they live in. Harper and others have found cow bones in their mail boxes and other strange things are happening. The only thing is everyone thinks it is the work of a crazy person but Harper thinks it is someone else. Someone that is close to them is keeping a secret. A deep dark secret and when it comes out no one expected it. The town is in shock and someone is heart broken.
What will Harper do when she finds out who is doing all these bad things to her town and her friends? Will she live long enough to tell someone who is doing these bad things? Come along on a dangerous adventure and find out who is trying to hurt the people Harper loves.
August 2, 2025
2.5 Stars
It is during times like these that I wish Goodreads had a 2.5-star rating option. Now I have to choose between rating it 2 or 3 stars. I guess I'll round it down.
My thoughts on the book
The plot was interesting, but it was poorly executed. I loved the idea behind Dangerous Boy, but I felt that it could have been executed in a more chilling and scary way. I have read so many scary novels and horror books that this book seemed drab in comparison. I wish it had been more thrilling.
The main character was likeable, but she was too cowardly for my taste. I like it when the main character has flaws and fears, but Harper was too much of a scaredy cat for me. The idea of writing a list of fears didn't bother me much, but some of the things she had written in that list were downright stupid.
I will admit that I did not see the plot twist coming, but I found it extremely hard to believe. The reason for Logan's strange behaviour was explained in just a sentence or two, and it made no sense to me. It was simply not good enough. Many questions were left unanswered, and I was left unsatisfied with the ending. I absolutely hate it when the author turns a book with a promising start into one with a lot of unanswered questions and loose threads.
Overall, I liked this book. I just wish it were a bit longer and had a much clearer explanation on how things worked.
It is during times like these that I wish Goodreads had a 2.5-star rating option. Now I have to choose between rating it 2 or 3 stars. I guess I'll round it down.
My thoughts on the book
The plot was interesting, but it was poorly executed. I loved the idea behind Dangerous Boy, but I felt that it could have been executed in a more chilling and scary way. I have read so many scary novels and horror books that this book seemed drab in comparison. I wish it had been more thrilling.
The main character was likeable, but she was too cowardly for my taste. I like it when the main character has flaws and fears, but Harper was too much of a scaredy cat for me. The idea of writing a list of fears didn't bother me much, but some of the things she had written in that list were downright stupid.
I will admit that I did not see the plot twist coming, but I found it extremely hard to believe. The reason for Logan's strange behaviour was explained in just a sentence or two, and it made no sense to me. It was simply not good enough. Many questions were left unanswered, and I was left unsatisfied with the ending. I absolutely hate it when the author turns a book with a promising start into one with a lot of unanswered questions and loose threads.
Overall, I liked this book. I just wish it were a bit longer and had a much clearer explanation on how things worked.
February 14, 2013
I was trying to decide whether or not I should give this 2 stars or 1 star, as you can tell, I decided to be nice and go with 2 stars. Why do people insist on making their female main characters such idiots? A lot of the crap that happened would have easily been avoided if Harper had just talked to someone about what was going on.
November 30, 2019
I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I mean I loved Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but I thought this would just be a corny spinoff. I was wrong. This was so great. I actually got scared at some parts. Haha. It had a eerie feel that I didn't expect. I also loved the realness of the characters and the writing style because it was simple and real. Mandy Hubbard was good at cutting the crap and not being overly descriptive or poetic with her words. She was just casual and real. I really appreciate that. Also, I was left feeling heartbroken for Logan because he was trapped in something that wasn't even his fault. He was such a good boyfriend to Harper, so that's why I think it made me so sad.
October 15, 2012
Creepy. I liked it :)
November 6, 2017
I would call this a guilty pleasure book. Why? Because it’s not the most greatest read out there but you read it anyway because something about it just draws you to continue reading. Whether it be characters, or the cheesy plot albeit ridiculous as it may be.
This is supposed to be a modern day retelling of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I see some similarities although the way it’s explained (the soul thing) is a bit of a stretch. At least with Jekyll/Hyde he had something concrete and explanatory (eg; the serum that gets him to change personalities).
The book itself is filled with oodles of cliches so it’s not for everyone. It may induce eye rolls and may have some readers frustrated and quit reading altogether. Why did I keep reading? It’s a very simple plot and there’s not much when it comes to twists and turns, there’s a bit of a creepy and chilly factor which was actually pretty well done and I stuck with it. Despite the plot being as it is, the writing was pretty good and I enjoyed it.
A couple of things however. I’m not sure what Madison really had to do with the story. She’s just your average mean girl but doesn’t really add to the plot (except for being a previous romance. Woopie) so to me, this was just unnecessary filler moments in the novel.
Harper isn’t really that likable and there were moments where she goes off the deep end into the realm of stupidity. I do admit though, she’s got good chemistry with Logan and the writing that conveys their feelings towards each other is well done. Logan seems to be a great boyfriend if it wasn’t for that fatal flaw. Harper does tend to have some annoying qualities to herself - being a forgiving doormat for one, and lacking common sense in particular stages of the story (seriously? You’re going to break into a house and you say: “hello?” can we say first one to die in a horror movie here?)
Although this book has quite a few flaws, I couldn’t help but enjoy reading it. It’s a very quick read and it’s like you’re watching a B movie but you enjoyed it despite the many cliches and things you normally wouldn’t watch. There’s just something about it that makes you want to continue reading it. I’m not going to recommend this one, but if you’re up for a quick read to get back into the reading groove, why not?
This is supposed to be a modern day retelling of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I see some similarities although the way it’s explained (the soul thing) is a bit of a stretch. At least with Jekyll/Hyde he had something concrete and explanatory (eg; the serum that gets him to change personalities).
The book itself is filled with oodles of cliches so it’s not for everyone. It may induce eye rolls and may have some readers frustrated and quit reading altogether. Why did I keep reading? It’s a very simple plot and there’s not much when it comes to twists and turns, there’s a bit of a creepy and chilly factor which was actually pretty well done and I stuck with it. Despite the plot being as it is, the writing was pretty good and I enjoyed it.
A couple of things however. I’m not sure what Madison really had to do with the story. She’s just your average mean girl but doesn’t really add to the plot (except for being a previous romance. Woopie) so to me, this was just unnecessary filler moments in the novel.
Harper isn’t really that likable and there were moments where she goes off the deep end into the realm of stupidity. I do admit though, she’s got good chemistry with Logan and the writing that conveys their feelings towards each other is well done. Logan seems to be a great boyfriend if it wasn’t for that fatal flaw. Harper does tend to have some annoying qualities to herself - being a forgiving doormat for one, and lacking common sense in particular stages of the story (seriously? You’re going to break into a house and you say: “hello?” can we say first one to die in a horror movie here?)
Although this book has quite a few flaws, I couldn’t help but enjoy reading it. It’s a very quick read and it’s like you’re watching a B movie but you enjoyed it despite the many cliches and things you normally wouldn’t watch. There’s just something about it that makes you want to continue reading it. I’m not going to recommend this one, but if you’re up for a quick read to get back into the reading groove, why not?
March 9, 2019
I was surprised I enjoyed this book so much!!!
You know I just don't understand the low ratings for this book and I'm glad I didn't pay attention to them or I would have missed out. This was my first YA mystery/thriller and I must say I really did enjoy it a lot. It did start out slow and picked up by chapter 6 and from there it kept picking up.
I loved the mystery between the two brothers and I must admit I did pretty much figure out what was going on earlier on, but the story still kept my interest and I wanted to see if I was right.
I didn't have a problem with the characters. Harper was just a teenager struggling with self-esteem and confidence so it was natural for her to be so drawn to Logan. I really don't like when characters are boy crazy (it gets annoying), but given the distant heartbreaking relationship with her father and loss of her mother, I can understand her need for acceptance and affection.
The reason I gave it a 4 and not a 5 is because of 2 things.
1. The prologue---why was it there? It gave away too big of a clue for the opening of the story, helping me to figure things out wayyy to early.
2. The description---It should not have mentioned anything about Jekyll n Hyde. That again just gives too much of a clue and it's suppose to be a MYSTERY.
Anyway, the writing was good and even with all the spoilers I did enjoy it a lot. The ending is kinda a mystery itself. I guess you have to decide what you think is real or fake, but I'm not going to say anything else about that. :-)
As far as content:
There was no sexual content that I can remember (if so it is very minor).
There was some cursing sprinkled throughout the book (more so toward the end), but it was not over the top.
You know I just don't understand the low ratings for this book and I'm glad I didn't pay attention to them or I would have missed out. This was my first YA mystery/thriller and I must say I really did enjoy it a lot. It did start out slow and picked up by chapter 6 and from there it kept picking up.
I loved the mystery between the two brothers and I must admit I did pretty much figure out what was going on earlier on, but the story still kept my interest and I wanted to see if I was right.
I didn't have a problem with the characters. Harper was just a teenager struggling with self-esteem and confidence so it was natural for her to be so drawn to Logan. I really don't like when characters are boy crazy (it gets annoying), but given the distant heartbreaking relationship with her father and loss of her mother, I can understand her need for acceptance and affection.
The reason I gave it a 4 and not a 5 is because of 2 things.
1. The prologue---why was it there? It gave away too big of a clue for the opening of the story, helping me to figure things out wayyy to early.
2. The description---It should not have mentioned anything about Jekyll n Hyde. That again just gives too much of a clue and it's suppose to be a MYSTERY.
Anyway, the writing was good and even with all the spoilers I did enjoy it a lot. The ending is kinda a mystery itself. I guess you have to decide what you think is real or fake, but I'm not going to say anything else about that. :-)
As far as content:
There was no sexual content that I can remember (if so it is very minor).
There was some cursing sprinkled throughout the book (more so toward the end), but it was not over the top.
August 23, 2025
Talk about a disappointing ending! The whole book was so good with all the mystery and creepiness and even the romance was pretty good, and I would've given it 4 stars if it weren't for that ending! The last chapter or so was especially good because all the reasons for why things were happening in town come out and you realize why certain things happened the way they did. It's the epilogue that made me give this book 3 stars instead. Throughout the book there's the whole what's-wrong-with-her-boyfriend thing but you know that Logan's her boyfriend. It was just a fact regardless of the eeriness going on in town that seem to revolve around him. However, there was also some romantic tension between Harper and her friend Bick. So throughout the book I was thinking "yeah, I like Logan, but I wouldn't be upset if she ends up with Bick." The epilogue leaves it so that she doesn't end up with either of them!! SPOILER!!! Logan ends up in a mental institution for crying out loud!!!! I had grown to care for Logan so by the end of the book when Harper finally has something starting with Bick I hate it and despise her for it. I understand that it'd be hard for her to have a relationship with someone in a mental institute, but I didn't want her to move on. In just six MONTHS!!! I'm sorry, but for me, I would've felt a little better if it were at least a year. I know this review may make the book seem pretty bad, but that's not true. It was very good. However, the ending left me unsatisfied.
July 3, 2018
The book was...strange to say the least. When I picked up the book and read the prologue, I was captivated immediately. As I continued on however I was very disappointed.
I found that Harper and Logan’s relationship was suspicious from the start. Everything was picture perfect which was alarming. The second we found out about the ‘twin brother’, dameon, I already knew what was going to happen. It took me moments to figure out that they were the same person.
Also it was really hard not to see that Bick was in love with Harper. Speaking of Harper, her character annoyed me. All this creepy stuff happened and her boyfriend was the root of it all. Still she continued to listed to his bull crap excuses.
All in all the book was sort of enjoyable but very predictable and cliche.
I found that Harper and Logan’s relationship was suspicious from the start. Everything was picture perfect which was alarming. The second we found out about the ‘twin brother’, dameon, I already knew what was going to happen. It took me moments to figure out that they were the same person.
Also it was really hard not to see that Bick was in love with Harper. Speaking of Harper, her character annoyed me. All this creepy stuff happened and her boyfriend was the root of it all. Still she continued to listed to his bull crap excuses.
All in all the book was sort of enjoyable but very predictable and cliche.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2019
Enjoyed this book. It was a maddening thriller with a good combination of likable characters and an antagonist that is a vile mystery until he no longer is. Then he's just vile. Near the middle of the book I began to have an idea where the story was heading and hated it. Tried to reason how this was going to end in a way I liked. While I didn't "like" the ending, I could live with it as the only reasonable outcome in this situation.
Read
December 23, 2024What an absolute waste of time! Harper lives on a dairy farm and is bedazzled when city boy Logan bestows his favor on her. She is lucky that her cousin Adam, best friend Alllie and future boyfriend Bick don't leave her in his clutches. Harper was a horrible character who sighs and swoons whenever Logan looks her way. She should be ostracized from womanhood.
January 1, 2018
Wow. This book was amazing, through and through, my mind still reeling at the ending. I loved all the characters and how we got to see multiple sides to each of them. Not the type of book I’d read twice though considering the best part is the unknown and mystery aspect.
May 8, 2019
Such an exciting book!! I read it in one sitting... It's suspenseful and addictive, but I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending... I saw the twist coming very early on, and the ending left me a little confused about Logan (Not in a good way). But, it is still a book worth checking out...
July 8, 2021
This is a good buy. Get it!
September 28, 2023
A really good book to read in October. You know something is off but it keeps you guessing for quite awhile.
May 1, 2013
I'm a pretty frequent visitor to Fictionpress, an online writing website. One of the writers that I've heard about, Mandy Hubbard was one of the lucky few who actually managed to clinch a writing deal. Needless to say, I was pretty excited about this book.
Disclaimer though: The edition that I read had a slightly different description than the one above. It doesn't mention anything about the retelling of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. What really caught my attention about the description though was the creepy stuff that was going on in the town. I wanted to know why this was going on and because I'd heard good things about Mandy Hubbard, I borrowed this book.
It's a good few hours of my life that I would never get back because this book was a freaking hot mess.
First of all, there's the Mary Sue MC Harper. She's a Diary Princess who's almost a genius (with an IQ of 139) and is so pretty that she's compared to Kate Winslet. I'm not sure why Hubbard found it necessary to add these details in, maybe because Harper's character is pretty thin. There's really not much to make her memorable about. Not much description about her personality, not much understanding about what makes her tick.
The only thing that's impressed upon us several times is that she has an entire list of things that she's scared of and like countless other YA heroines comes from a family where her parents are missing from her life. Not exactly a sterling example of originality here.
What really got me going was her lack of self-preservation however. Even after she finds out that Logan has been lying to her about his brother, she still continues to trust him and lets him into her list of fears. Honestly this is the most illogical move ever. Why would you let somebody who's already betrayed your trust once know who your deepest,darkest worries are?
For someone who's supposedly intelligent, Harper sure doesn't act like it.
There are multiple other issues with this book as well. What's up with the random subplot involving Madison, the resident mean girl? How can things be tied up so neatly at the end of the book? And what is up with the different names used?
Maybe I could've stomached all that if the writing in this book was great. But it wasn't. It was just okay. There were a few times when Hubbard's descriptions made me laugh though. For example, 'He smiles, in that way that's ours'. This isn't much description for me to work on if I want to picture this in my head. In fact it's pretty lazy writing. And even better 'His shoulders deflate.' I'm not actually sure shoulders can deflate...
The planning of this book was a little messy as well. Hubbard mentions that it's 'One Month Earlier' in Chapter One when Logan first meets her other friends. In Chapter Two, however, it starts with 'The next day' and talks about how Logan has picked her up from school for the past two weeks. Presumably if he's picked her up for two weeks and has been attending school with her for the past two weeks, he would have met her friends right? So is it really two weeks later? Or a month later? Or the next day? The timeline here is making me crazy.
Ultimately, this book just wasn't for me.
Disclaimer though: The edition that I read had a slightly different description than the one above. It doesn't mention anything about the retelling of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. What really caught my attention about the description though was the creepy stuff that was going on in the town. I wanted to know why this was going on and because I'd heard good things about Mandy Hubbard, I borrowed this book.
It's a good few hours of my life that I would never get back because this book was a freaking hot mess.
First of all, there's the Mary Sue MC Harper. She's a Diary Princess who's almost a genius (with an IQ of 139) and is so pretty that she's compared to Kate Winslet. I'm not sure why Hubbard found it necessary to add these details in, maybe because Harper's character is pretty thin. There's really not much to make her memorable about. Not much description about her personality, not much understanding about what makes her tick.
The only thing that's impressed upon us several times is that she has an entire list of things that she's scared of and like countless other YA heroines comes from a family where her parents are missing from her life. Not exactly a sterling example of originality here.
What really got me going was her lack of self-preservation however. Even after she finds out that Logan has been lying to her about his brother, she still continues to trust him and lets him into her list of fears. Honestly this is the most illogical move ever. Why would you let somebody who's already betrayed your trust once know who your deepest,darkest worries are?
For someone who's supposedly intelligent, Harper sure doesn't act like it.
There are multiple other issues with this book as well. What's up with the random subplot involving Madison, the resident mean girl? How can things be tied up so neatly at the end of the book? And what is up with the different names used?
Maybe I could've stomached all that if the writing in this book was great. But it wasn't. It was just okay. There were a few times when Hubbard's descriptions made me laugh though. For example, 'He smiles, in that way that's ours'. This isn't much description for me to work on if I want to picture this in my head. In fact it's pretty lazy writing. And even better 'His shoulders deflate.' I'm not actually sure shoulders can deflate...
The planning of this book was a little messy as well. Hubbard mentions that it's 'One Month Earlier' in Chapter One when Logan first meets her other friends. In Chapter Two, however, it starts with 'The next day' and talks about how Logan has picked her up from school for the past two weeks. Presumably if he's picked her up for two weeks and has been attending school with her for the past two weeks, he would have met her friends right? So is it really two weeks later? Or a month later? Or the next day? The timeline here is making me crazy.
Ultimately, this book just wasn't for me.
December 19, 2012
I wanted so much more than I got out of Dangerous Boy. I found it kind of shallow and predictable. BUT I WANTED TO LIKE IT SO MUCH. Hmph. I’m going to pout like a child for a few minutes.
*a few minutes*
And we’re back. I’ve never read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but I am betting that Dangerous Boy was only a loose retelling of the original, meaning that it only held onto the main idea of what Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were. I think most people know the main plot point of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but if you don’t maybe you would enjoy the book more than I did. I, however, was familiar with the storyline so the plot twist at the end of Dangerous Boy was over before it began. Knowing this, I was still interested in how the book would tell the story in the modern world, which is why I read it. Looking at it from that angle, I wasn’t incredibly wowed.
Like the original book, the story did not follow the Dr. Jekyll character directly with the original being told from an investigator/friend’s perspective. Dangerous Boy was told following Harper, a cautious girl who has recently started dating the mysterious new boy in town. I liked Harper and her scared-y cat tendencies -- I could relate as I am also a bit terrified of everything. She wasn't a weak character, just not willing to partake in activities that put her life in danger. But I felt that with starting the book off with them already dating, you lost a bit of the intrigue and chemistry that happened when characters meet for the first time. This was one of that main ways the story deviated from the original, so I thought it would have been played up a little more than it was. I didn’t feel as attached to their relationship as maybe I should have and wanted to.
I did like that the story is taken out of Victorian London and into rural-ish Washington. Our heroine actually lives on a dairy farm, with most of her friends also living/working on ranches and other farms. I thought that was very cool and brought in a lot of originality for a retelling.
In regards to how the author tied the paranormal elements of the original into the modern world and into teenagers, I was really disappointed. Obviously Dr. Jekyll was a doctor, and you can’t have a teenage doctor (or can you?) but I really didn’t like the twist on the original twist of the ending -- it felt cheapened. I was expecting more, but I think a lot of retellings of classic novels fall into that trap of not living up to the expectations of readers.
So, if you are completely unfamiliar with the original The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I recommend this book full heartedly. It was lighter than I was expecting, considering the subject matter, but it was still a good and enjoyable read. If you’re familiar with the original and are looking for something that will pick your brain a little more, Dangerous Boy may not be for you. It may also not be for you if you don’t think you want to have to explain the title to anyone who happens to see you reading it. I have never gotten more questions about what I was reading before this book.
This review is also posted on my blog, Where the Mome Raths Outgrabet
*a few minutes*
And we’re back. I’ve never read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but I am betting that Dangerous Boy was only a loose retelling of the original, meaning that it only held onto the main idea of what Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were. I think most people know the main plot point of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but if you don’t maybe you would enjoy the book more than I did. I, however, was familiar with the storyline so the plot twist at the end of Dangerous Boy was over before it began. Knowing this, I was still interested in how the book would tell the story in the modern world, which is why I read it. Looking at it from that angle, I wasn’t incredibly wowed.
Like the original book, the story did not follow the Dr. Jekyll character directly with the original being told from an investigator/friend’s perspective. Dangerous Boy was told following Harper, a cautious girl who has recently started dating the mysterious new boy in town. I liked Harper and her scared-y cat tendencies -- I could relate as I am also a bit terrified of everything. She wasn't a weak character, just not willing to partake in activities that put her life in danger. But I felt that with starting the book off with them already dating, you lost a bit of the intrigue and chemistry that happened when characters meet for the first time. This was one of that main ways the story deviated from the original, so I thought it would have been played up a little more than it was. I didn’t feel as attached to their relationship as maybe I should have and wanted to.
I did like that the story is taken out of Victorian London and into rural-ish Washington. Our heroine actually lives on a dairy farm, with most of her friends also living/working on ranches and other farms. I thought that was very cool and brought in a lot of originality for a retelling.
In regards to how the author tied the paranormal elements of the original into the modern world and into teenagers, I was really disappointed. Obviously Dr. Jekyll was a doctor, and you can’t have a teenage doctor (or can you?) but I really didn’t like the twist on the original twist of the ending -- it felt cheapened. I was expecting more, but I think a lot of retellings of classic novels fall into that trap of not living up to the expectations of readers.
So, if you are completely unfamiliar with the original The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I recommend this book full heartedly. It was lighter than I was expecting, considering the subject matter, but it was still a good and enjoyable read. If you’re familiar with the original and are looking for something that will pick your brain a little more, Dangerous Boy may not be for you. It may also not be for you if you don’t think you want to have to explain the title to anyone who happens to see you reading it. I have never gotten more questions about what I was reading before this book.
This review is also posted on my blog, Where the Mome Raths Outgrabet
April 18, 2013
This review was also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.
Source: ARC
Review: Dangerous Boy presents itself as a dark, suspenseful read that will send chills down readers’ spines. However, the closest it gets to its goal is giving the distinct impression that the author is striving to create a scary atmosphere. Spooky locations and creepy pranks pop up one after another, but in the end they feel contrived. I, a person scared by everything, was not particularly moved.
Source: ARC
Review: Dangerous Boy presents itself as a dark, suspenseful read that will send chills down readers’ spines. However, the closest it gets to its goal is giving the distinct impression that the author is striving to create a scary atmosphere. Spooky locations and creepy pranks pop up one after another, but in the end they feel contrived. I, a person scared by everything, was not particularly moved.
The novel overall felt like something the author had crafted. It opens with a somewhat standard cliffhanger prologue, then backpedals to the main story. Characters are introduced, necessary background information thrown in, and words used “creatively” (i.e. in contexts that almost make sense, but actually do not). Hubbard clearly has experience writing, notably Prada & Prejudice, but Dangerous Boy reads as if she has a concrete idea of how a book is supposed to work and then forces it to do so; neither the writing nor the story seem effortless and natural.
The plot, instead of transitioning smoothly, jumps around from location to location. Occasionally there is the impression the author means to achieve some type of dramatic effect by revealing some new information and then cutting to another scene, but the reading experience mostly feels stilted instead of exciting. The overarching plot does not compensate for these flaws. From the beginning a reader will see there are two possible outcomes to the book: the one the book heavily foreshadows, or a plot “twist” that is easy to guess.
The characters of Dangerous Boy are not particularly interesting. Harper is an “almost genius” with a high IQ who cannot think of a smart solution to a problem to save her life. Literally. Her attempts to figure out the mystery are absurd; she does not try the obvious and most effective courses of action. (This is also a book where the entire plot would have been avoided if anyone had done the smart thing and called the police—but of course that never happens in books.) Her boyfriend will not be overly attractive to readers, especially since there is no build-up to their romance and their relationship appears to be founded primarily on PDA. My ARC jacket suggests Logan is a bad boy, not just his twin brother, but the official summary seems to have correctly deleted that assertion; I was not impressed with any badass attitude from him.
Dangerous Boy simply is not the book for me. The writing style seems off, the plot is predictable, and the characters are difficult to connect with. Even though Harper does find herself in terribly dangerous situations, I was not very scared. The best takeaway from the book is the hidden sound relationship advice: “Guys screw up. A lot. You just have to figure out whether their heart is in the right place.” Apply this to girls, too, and a lot of relationship problems will be solved.
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