Monday 1 March 2010

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Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry by Simone ElkelesPerfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles (review copy) - When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created "perfect" life is about to unravel before her eyes. Forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, Brittany finds herself having to protect everything she's worked so hard for - her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend and, most importantly, the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But the closer Alex and Brittany get to each other the more they realise that sometimes appearances can be deceptive and that you have to look beneath the surface to discover the truth. From Amazon UK

When I received Perfect Chemistry for review, I was pretty pleased. I heard a lot of people had good things to say about it, and so was intrigued, though I was particularly wowed by the blurb, but I thought I’d give it a go. I cannot tell you how amazing Perfect Chemistry is! I am not the fastest reader going, and Perfect Chemistry isn’t exactly a skinny book, but it was so good, I couldn’t put it down, and read the whole thing yesterday. I loved it!

This book is about so much more than just a love story. It’s also about accepting yourself for who you are, being yourself, and not living by the social rules of your environment. It was fantastic to see how these two very different people – Brittany, who is little miss popular and Queen Bee of high school, and Alex, dangerous gang member who strikes fear into just about everyone – were so similar. How they are seen by the outside world is nothing compared to who they are inside, but a front they put on for reasons far more serious than social acceptance.

I love the way the story was structured, with mostly alternating chapters from both Brittany and Alex’s points of view in first person. It was brilliant to really get inside their heads, to see what they were hiding, yet see their misconceptions of the other. It’s not completely original, but it was brilliant.

It was great to see them struggle with their individual lives, having pretty much no-one to confide in about their issues, and then seeing them thrust together to, little by little, learn to trust, open up, and let the other in. They are both so much more complicated than the other thought; Brittany is a nice, good person, rather have superficial and arrogant, and Alex is fiercely loyal and protective of his family, and does what he must to keep them safe. Watching them fall in love as they realise they may have actually found someone who understands is just beautiful.

As I said before, Alex is a gang member, but the fact that this is a romance doesn’t mean that Simone shies away from what that means to Alex. Everyone knows gangs are dangerous, but it was shocking to see just how much. Alex’s pretence is not only for what others think of him, but for what his friends and his fellow gang members think of him. If the guys on top got even a whiff that he is anything but fiercely dedicated to the gang, not only his life would be at risk. There is violence, drugs, and extreme fear running throughout this book; it’s dark and gritty, and there’s no lack of suspense. It’s hard not to admire Alex for what he has to live through, day in and day out, knowing if he takes his eye off the ball for one second, that could be it. It’s thrilling for a book, but deeply disturbing to considering this is life for some people.

The issue of living with a disabled relative is also covered in this book. Brittany is carrying around so much guilt that she was born “normal” while her older sister wasn’t, and is also having to deal with a mother who is perpetually on the edge of breaking down at the possibility of the slightest scandal – what would the neighbours think? Brittany has to deal with so much pressure, from in and outside school, it’s admirable, though unfair, that she plays the worry free pampered princess so well.

This book is just incredible, and I finished it with the urge to cry at just how beautiful it is. Perfect Chemistry is far from a simple love story; it’s complicated, it’s dangerous, but it’s completely wonderful. There really is no way for me to express how much I have been touched by this book, and I really look forward to reading more of Simone's novels. If you don’t read this book, you’re missing out on something completely unforgettable.

ETA: I've been made aware that we can expect a sequel to Perfect Chemistry! Rules of Attraction, which follows Carlos, Alex's younger brother, comes out in America 13th April 2010! I just hope it'll be released in the UK too!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for the review copy.

Published: 1st April 2010
Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK
Buy on Amazon UK
Buy on Amazon US
Simone Elkeles’ Website

Other reviews of Perfect Chemistry:
Wondrous Reads
Reading in Color
Sarah's Book Reviews
Emily and Her Little Pink Slips

27 comments:

  1. Great review, I cant not wait for the 2nd book - it will be fun to see where the characters went from this one! :)

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  2. Cheers! Oh my god, I didn't realise there was going to be a sequel! Oooh, I'm excited! Off to edit my review now!

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  3. I loved this book and I can't wait to read the sequel! Alex is one of my favorite YA crushes of all time and I really liked how Simone addressed disabilities and sterotypes people have about each other. She also wrote very realistically of gang life and she is definitely still a teen at heart!

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  4. Oh, the sequel is going to be incredible, I just know it! I am seriously looking forward to it! Simone did deal with some serious issues really well, I just loved it! Thanks for commenting!

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  5. I am so excited to read this book as your review has grabbed me! I'm trying to wait until closer to the release date but I'm am itching to move it up the list. Gritty and romantic! Count me in!

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  6. Oh, I loved this book! It was the perfect romantic novel. Thanks for a really great review!

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  7. Becky - Ohhh, be a rebel, read it sooner! :P You can always schedule the post for later. Ohh, it's brilliant, I really hope you enjoy it!

    Luisa - Thank you! It was so beautiful, I really loved it! :)

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  8. This books sounds really good! Can't wait to try this one out... and adding to my I plan to read right now!

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  9. I just finished this over the weekend. I'd been hearing rave reviews about it all over the blog-o-sphere and decided it was about time to give it a try... and I'm glad I did it was an excellent read!!!! Can't wait for the sequel!

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  10. Sarah - Awesome! I really hope you enjoy it, it's amazing!

    Mollie - Oh, wasn't it? It was brilliant, I just loved it! Thanks for commenting!

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  11. Amazing review! I really loved Perfect Chemistry it's one of my faves!

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  12. Thank you! :) I loved it too, it's just brilliant!

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  13. Fab review! I received a copy of this today for review & I can't wait to read it :o)

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  14. What a beautiful review! I read this recently. I didn't love it as much as you did, but I did enjoy it. And the sequel, about Carlos, does sound intriguing.

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  15. Sarah - Thank you! I do hope you enjoy it, it was so good!

    Stephanie - Thank you! I can't wait to read the sequel, it sounded brilliant!

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  16. Wow, great review! I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book since I'm not that much into romance, but your review definitely convinced me I have to read it. Thanks!

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  17. Thank you! Oh, that's awesome! I really hope you enjoy it, it's fantastic! :)

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  18. I keep hearing such great things about this one. Great review!

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  19. Thank you! It is an unbelievably good book, I really loved it!

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  20. Awesome review!!! And btw I'm so jealous that you read it. I'm having such a hard time finding this book. If I don't find it soon...I'll have to order it online. The worse part...I saw it before, but figured I could just pick it up on my next bookstore trip...WRONG...grrrr!

    I hope I find it soon!!!

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  21. Thank you! Aww, that's such a shame you're unable to find it anywhere! How odd. Buying it online isn't always bad, is it? The Book Depository has free shipping! :)

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  22. You were right - I absolutely loved this one!! What an amazing book :o) Can't wait for Rules of Attraction!!!

    I've added your link to my review
    http://bookreviewsbysarah.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-perfect-chemistry-simone-elkeles.html

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  23. That's just awesome! I'm so glad you liked it! I can't wait for Rules of Attraction either! Thanks for linking to my review, I will do the same! :)

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  24. Great Review! I read it no stop over the weekend.
    Here it's my review:
    http://emilyborges.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/perfect-chemistry-by-simone-elkeles/

    The video trailer really bothered me but everything else it's just perfect. It's not easy to find it as the e-reader version hasn't been released and that's the easiest way for me.

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  25. Thank you! Ohh, I'll check out your review now, and link to it! :) Ahh, I'm not much of a e-reader fan. Lucky for us in the UK, Perfect Chemistry will be released in April, so some of us British reviewers have been lucky enough to get early copies.
    I'm not a big fan of the video trailer for this book, but I love the trailer for Rules of Attraction, the sequel - it's brilliant!

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  26. Everyone keeps talking about this book. I hadn't intended to read it (not sure why; I guess with a name like that, I was expecting something sappy, which isn't my thing), but with so many people singing its praises, I may just cave and pick it up...

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  27. Oh, no, it's not sappy, it's amazing! I absolutely adore Perfect Chemistry! I urge you to cave! It's brilliant!

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