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Release Date: October 1st, 2013 Age Group: Young Adult Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers Source: Publisher through NetGalley Overall: 5 Monkeys Interest: Romance, Simone Elkeles Categories: Contemporary, Sports, Romance, Stand-Alone, Family Issues Goodreads / Amazon / Simone Elkeles's Website Read in September 2013 Summary:
After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama. Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?
My Thoughts:
Simone has done it again! This woman can really make you fall for her characters! There are so many things I loved about this book, I'll just list them for you:
1. A strong female MC. Ashtyn is such a good and independent (American) football player that her teammates choose her over her boyfriend to be the team's captain. When she first meets Derek, she brandishes a pitchfork at him to protect herself. She can take care of herself and she lets everyone know it.
2. The bad boy with a soft heart. Admit it. You love them. I love them. We all do. Derek has the Elkeles stamp all over him: hard exterior, but really loving heart. I just wanted to hug him all the time.
3. A really cool set of secondary characters. I mean, how great are Ashtyn's boy friends? Her relationship with them is amazing. She's one of them, but she can be a girly girl, too. And I just LOVED them whenever they stepped up to protect her. Those are real friends.
4. A greatly built story that has actual meaning, as opposed to just being there for the sake of giving the characters an environment to meet and fall in love. Derek has lost his mother, his father is overseas with the Navy and his stepmother is a 25-year-old girl with a little son and a baby on the way. Ashtyn's mum is MIA, her father barely gives her the time of day (but for ACTUAL reasons, not just to be out of her way!) and her sister's coming back home after seven years of having no contact with her. These are the conditions in which Derek and Ashtyn meet, and they shape up their story in a beautiful, beautiful way.
5. Sports in a Contemporary book! I don't understand squat about American football, I just think about it like I would rugby, but Simone really made me like the sport! I usually avoid Contemps with sports, but since this was an Elkeles book, there was just no way I was going to miss reading it.
Yes, your heart will twinge a little in pain, but trust me, it'll live. This is just a really lovely book meant to be read when you want to feel a little bit of loving.
Pre-order the book now through the links listed above. Happy reading, Ella
It was so awesome hanging out with the Buzz Girls in Los Angeles at the RT Convention. As others have said Teen Day rocked the house. We had a fabulous booksigning, then a party where teens, their friends and parents, joined over twenty YA authors for free books, pictures, and signatures. It was amazing to see the smiles on the girls' faces when they delved into their goodie bags of books to see favorite authors and new ones to enjoy.
(Heather, me, Simone, Dona, and Tina in front)
It was also fun to hang with former Buzz Girl, Simone Elkeles, who is now a big time USA Today and New York Times bestseller. But she's still Simone...and her fans love her. She's a blast to hang out with and we miss her smiling typeface around here.
(Tina and me with Simone)
Tina and I had a fabulous dinner with her. Here's a pic of my filet and shrimp....mmm....you know me and my foodie-ness!
I, too, got a huge stash of books. Even accidentally packed "The Teachings of Budha" book that was in the hotel room. Oopsies! There were so many books around...who knew? There are just so many cool reads coming out this year (including GHOST HUNTRESS: THE DISCOVERY in 18 days!) that it's hard to keep up with everything.
(My fur baby, Boo, modeling my stash.)
So, I'm going to give away my copy of Meg Cabot's graphic novel, AVALON HIGH-CORONATION. Just leave a comment in the trail here about books you're looking forward to this year and I'll pick a winner and announce next week.
LOL, Steph! I didn't *mean* to swipe the Budha book...I was thumbing through it one night and must have just tossed it onto my stack of books. I figure I'm meant to read it, eh! = )
Well, of course, I'm looking forward to The Discovery. But I'm also really excited for The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson, Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter, and What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen. The Last Little Blue Envelope will be released on April 26th, so there isn't much more of a wait. Uncommon Criminals will be released June 21st. What Happened to Goodbye will be released May 10th. These are the first few books that came to mind that haven't been released yet, but there are a few books in some of my favorites series that haven't been written yet, but are still promised to be released... eventually. Haha. Well, thanks, Marley!
Publisher: Audible, Inc. (Hardcover published by Walker Books for Young Readers, December 23, 2008) Audiobook Format: 9 hrs and 45 mins Narrated by Roxanne Hernandez , Blas Kisic Series: Perfect Chemistry #1 Genre: YA Contemporary
From Goodreads. 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. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and 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 soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.
Review
PERFECT CHEMISTRY, by Simone Elkeles, is a fantastic example of how YA is not just for a specific age range. The romance and chemistry (no pun intended) is relatable to a person of any age reading this book.
Since I read this in audiobook format. I feel like I got more of the original 'flavor'. Hernandez and Kisic did a really great job encompassing these characters. Since Spanish is not my native language, the narrators were able to pronounce the words correctly and with the right emphasis. They made the story come to life and added to the love I felt for this book.
The story is an old one, boy from wrong side of town meets rich girl, but Elkeles made it stand out from the rest. She started slow and molded the relationship between Alex and Brittany so beautifully. Everything about this story was different and as it went on I was anxious to see if these two could overcome the obstacles that kept them apart.
The relationship that Alex and Brittany cultivated with their forced partnership in Chemistry class was absolutely charming. I love a good 'I hate you' relationship turning to 'I can't stop thinking about you' one. These two were at the mercy of Elkeles and I was very pleased with the more realistic ending to the book.
Elkeles did not shy away from the obvious sexual tension of the teenagers in the book. Sex was a big issue that was faced, but it was gradual and it wasn't just thrown into the book unwarranted. She cultivated these relationships and when sex was discussed it was done tastefully. Another realistic issue that was faced head-on was gangs. The fact that Alex was in a gang heightened the seriousness and danger that the main couple's relationship faced. Just another component that made this book full of tension and kept me hooked.
I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! I did--and not just because of the festivities and the sugar, but because on Saturday, my issue of the Romance Writer's Report (commonly called the RWR) arrived in my mailbox. And it turned out the rumors were quite true...my picture was on the cover:
Yep, that's me in the bottom picture, center, the one looking at the camera. To the left is Lauren Strasnick and (forever Buzz Girl) Simone Elkeles, and to the right is Ally Carter. The picture was taken at the reception for the Golden Heart and Rita finalists, and all of us in the picture were up for the Best Young Adult Romance.
For those of you who remember the '70's song about having your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone ("gonna buy five copies for my mother..."), yes, I spent the weekend singing it!
But oddly, this was not the first time my face graced a magazine cover in a small way!. So I went digging through my files and found my copy of Woman's World from October 12, 1993. Featuring Elvis (although he was not longer alive at the time). Anyway, again, look down at the bottom picture...
Find the heading "They swear a salad made them go into labor!" And yeah, that's me and my son, Nick, as well as my friend, Pam and her son, Blake. It's actually a long story, but Pam knew of a balsamic vinegar salad that she swore jump-started her overdue labor, so when I reached my due date with 8 pound Nick and my doctor said I was not ready to deliver, I gave the salad a try. He was born hours later! Then we had a third overdue mother give it a try...and the next thing you know, we were being interviewed by the L.A. Times. The story exploded and we actually appeared in Newsweek and were on TV talk shows, too. It was pretty exciting, especially since I had two little kids and a newborn to juggle during all that.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy...and as you munch on Halloween candy, spend of the rest of your day singing "The Cover of the Rolling Stone..." I know I will!
11 Comments on Coming Off A Halloween Sugar Buzz..., last added: 11/3/2010
I was so happy to get my RWR this weekend and see you on the cover, Tina. How exciting! (And I loved the salad story, too....) I hope the next time you're on the cover of a magazine it will be to feature your wild and crazy success with one of your future books, a la J.K. Rowling or Stephenie Meyer. Third time's a charm, right?!
Janie, the restaurant owner was being understandably careful...I imagine he talked to an attorney before this story broke. What I heard was that balsamic vinegar was the key ingredient--but I really don't know.
In the fall of 1993, the owner was bottling the dressing and selling it through the mail. My sister-in-law tried it, but alas, it did not start overdue labor for her...
Congrat's on being a cover girl, Tina! And how interesting about the salad story. I had ppl calling me saying there was something on the Today Show or Good Morning America about how a little Italian restaurant had a "baby photo wall" b/c they claimed their Eggplant Parmesan did the same trick as your salad. So with my three babies, I headed to the Olive Garden and within hours they were all born! Facinating! :)
The Teens and Technology Interest Group organized a panel program on booktrailers and video on Saturday afternoon at Annual. Here are some of the highlights and resources discussed by panelists.
New York Times best-selling author Simone Elkeles discussed two of her booktrailers: Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction, available at http://www.simoneelkeles.net). Elkeles wanted to make a booktrailer with music. She said she was a “child of the eighties” and wanted to make a booktrailer like the Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s opening credits — a rap book trailer. She felt that because teens are on the Internet that is where she needed to get them interested in her books. The edgy Perfect Chemistry was filmed on a green screen for about $5,000.
The booktrailer for Perfect Chemistry was very popular, but Elkeles felt that for her next book she needed to do something bigger. She thought maybe she could fool the teens into thinking her book was a movie, so she decided to do a movie trailer. The booktrailer for Rules of Attraction was filmed in Hollywood with a professional film crew. Simone wanted the hottest guy in Hollywood to play Alex. When asked, “If you could have anyone to play Alex, who would it be?” she answered, “The groom from Katy Perry’s ‘Hot and Cold‘ video.” Elkeles was able to get him to do the booktrailer. Simone hopes to keep setting the bar higher in her booktrailers. Elkeles said many guys have told her that they have gotten out of gangs because of reading her books.
Joy Millam, the District Library Coordinator/Teacher-Librarian at Valencia High School in CA, uses booktrailers in her library to get kids interested in reading books. She feels it is important to reach kids on portals that they are used to seeing. Teens today are very visual. Her first booktrailer was for Thirteen Reasons Why. She has a small monitor and a DVD player in the library to show book trailers. Millam has taught students and teachers to make booktrailers. Her students use Microsoft Powerpoint to save their slides as .jpegs and then put them into Windows Movie Maker to edit. She emphasizes to students that the right music can make all the difference in setting the mood for the trailer. She and her students use Freeplay Music for copyright-friendly music choices and Audacity for music editing. Millam has shared all her tutorials and staff training materials on the wiki, booktalksandmore. Millam encourages students to make about 12 slides of 5 seconds each, always starting with the book cover. Millam shared some student examples which are available on her wiki and she said they vary in quality. The hardest part of making a booktrailer is choosing the images. She encourages students not to get stuck looking for a certain image and said, “Be willing to change your idea and that may make your trailer even better.”
Lots of people seemed really impressed with this one and unfortunately, for me, it just fell short. Such potential with the whole "dystopian" genre going for it and a pretty compelling main character, but the buildup was really slow and the "big moment" wasn't so big.
The author definitely left room for a sequel, which I'm interested in reading and will pickup if it ever comes out, but this one just isn't a book I'll be remembering for very long. Bummer. And I know I'm in the minority, so go check it out even though I thought it just ok.
Great cover though!
Overall rating: 3 out of 5
The Line Teri Hall 224 pages Young Adult Dial 9780803734661 March 2010 Book borrowed from my local library
Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry
Oh gosh, this one as just as wonderful as every blogger said it was. Filled with such heart and soul, real characters, beautiful writing, and a fabulous setting. I honestly don't know how it didn't win the Cybil this year.
I had such emotion while reading this, having a husband in the military and the feelings of being left behind sometimes. Brother was just such an amazing main character and makes me want to hand this little book to everyone I know. Go out and get it if you haven't already! Overall rating: 5 out of 5
Heart of a Shepherd Rosanne Parry 176 pages Middle Grade Random House 9780375848025 January 2009 Book borrowed from my local library
The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne
Yep, as adorable as everyone says. I, at times, had a pretty hard time believing in the crazy ways of Hamlet's parents, but that didn't deter from the cuteness of the overall sto
2 Comments on March/April Mini-reviews, last added: 4/25/2010
I agree with you on The Line. And Heart of A Shepherd. Oh how I loved that book. It was such a wow book for me! I wouldn't have wanted to be a judge for the finalists in that category. There were two or three that I just found to be oh-so-amazing.
You may recall that when I reviewed Simone Elkeles’ Perfect Chemistry, as much as I loved it, I spent most of my review criticizing various aspects of the book. Well, I’m going to do it again with it’s sequel, Rules of Attraction (can I still call it a sequel if the protagonists from the first book are only secondary characters this time around?).
For those who haven’t read Perfect Chemistry, it’s about (quoting from my review here) “Alex, Hot Latino Tough Guy Gangbanger (with a brain), and Brittany, Popular Perfect Blond Rich Girl (with a secret). Forced to become partners for the entire year in their chemistry class, Alex and Brittany start to see each other past the rumors and stereotypes and façades they’ve erected. Do I need to spell out what happens next?”
Anyway, back to Rules of Attraction. It doesn’t quite live up to the melodramatic awesomeness that is Perfect Chemistry. Mostly because Perfect Chemistry, whatever other faults it may have, is genuinely fraught with tension. Not just in terms of the, um, chemistry between Alex and Brittany, but also of the will-Alex-get-out-of-the-gang? and will-there-be-an-HEA? variety. I didn’t feel the same sense of urgency with Rules of Attraction. Despite this, I was not disappointed AT ALL by Rules of Attraction.
You don’t need to have read Perfect Chemistry prior to reading Rules of Attraction, but the latter works largely because it retains many of the elements that made Perfect Chemistry so enjoyable. Alternating first-person narration? Check. Bad boy/good girl dynamic? Check. Some hot romance? Check. Oh no, a gang might come in the way of the couple’s happiness? Check. Completely over the top epilogue that I actually found way more annoying than anything else? Check.
The Hot Latino Tough Guy Gangbanger half of Rules of Attraction is Carlos, one of Alex’s younger brothers. Carlos moves to Boulder, Colorado to finish high school, and, not long after his arrival, gets into trouble and is forced to move in with one of Alex’s former college professors. Surprise! The college professor has a daughter, Kiara, who is THE SAME AGE as Carlos, and she just so happens to go the same high school! What a coincidence. (I don’t know what it is about Elkeles’ books, but they make me snarky when I review them. Sorry.)
The White Girl role is filled by Kiara, who, unlike Brittany, is not popular and pretty much has a perfect home life (not that there’s anything wrong with this last part. I actually wouldn’t mind seeing more YA novels with happy home lives and teens who get along with their caring parents). Going to school together and living under the same roof, Kiara and Carlos get to know the real person… Wait, I think I’m repeating myself again. Kiara doesn’t have much in the way of problems or issues in her life. This could have made her chapters boring, but it’s a credit to Elkeles that they’re not. Kiara’s likable enough and Carlos’ problems big enough that the pace and energy of the story don’t flag regardless of who is narrating.
With short chapters, a high-stakes conflict, some humor and heat (read: for older teens!), Rules of Attraction is a fast, fun read. There’s also a decent number of appearances by Alex and Brittany, which only adds to the appeal of this book among the many fans of Perfect Chemistry. Rules of Attraction is not a particularly deep read, but
3 Comments on Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles, last added: 3/22/2010
I’m so jealous you got an ARC of this! I had pretty much the same feelings about the original book that you did, except that the epilogue of Perfect Chemistry ruined almost any of the good things I thought or would have said about the rest of the novel. I’m cringing when I read that this one also has such an epilogue. But my students LOVE Perfect Chemistry. Sounds like they’ll end up loving this one too.
Trisha said, on 3/22/2010 3:44:00 PM
I wasn’t expecting to receive this ARC at all. I think I squeed when I got the envelope from Bloomsbury, then actually jumped in excitement when I opened it and saw this inside.
Anyway, yeah, the epilogue. I treat it like I do the epilogue of HP 7: I try to pretend it doesn’t exist. It’s hard sometimes, though. I have these constant, “Ugh, hate the epilogue” thoughts whenever I think about the books, but at least you’re warned now! Read most of Rules of Attraction, skip the epilogue. That way, you know it’s bad, but will never know exactly how awful it is. Unless one of your teens tells you.
Angie said, on 3/22/2010 10:24:00 PM
My ARC showed up the other day! I definitely squeed and jumped.
I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE watching book trailers. This one is amazing, don't you think? The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. (I just barely started reading this book, by the way.) Or check this one out: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. It's like a mini-movie! And so is The Karma Club by Jessica Brody's book trailer.
Yesterday my husband and I headed to Hastings (which I have to say is always so supportive of its local authors) to film what will eventually become the book trailer for my June 8th release, Lifted. While I adore the trailers for The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren and Miss Match (thank you Air Productions Co!) but I thought it would be fun to do something a little less traditional, a little crazy, and maybe even a little illegal when it came to Lifted. So, with the help of my husband and my brother (who is putting it all together for me), I'm hoping it will be awesome!
What's YOUR favorite book trailer?
4 Comments on Book Trailers, last added: 3/16/2010
So exciting about the book trailer for LIFTED, Wendy!
I particularly like Simone's RULES OF ATTRACTION trailer. It so happens that I know Patrick Peach, her producer, and am familiar with his strong work ethic, so no surprise that two such talented people collaborated on that fine production.
In my classroom we do trailer Tuesdays, and I show 1-3 trailers at the start of class. The kids love it, and they do hook them on to some books. The best we've watched lately was the one for A Whole Nother Story. Super cute!
The Plot: Brittany Ellis. White, rich, all the latest clothes, a brand new car. Alejandro "Alex" Fuentes, Mexican, member of the Latino Blood gang. A chemistry teacher who insists on alphabetical order makes these opposites chemistry partners; but will opposites attract?
The Good: Perfect chemistry? Try perfect romance instead!
Brittany and Alex are real, live, breathing people, as are the supporting characters. I'm in love with all these people!
Brittany Ellis -- rich and spoiled, right? But her outward perfection is a desperate attempt to make everyone believe she is a perfect daughter, perfect student, perfect friend because at home things aren't perfect. She creates a fake life of outward appearances, trusting no one; but she still has truths she holds onto. Brittany loves her sister, who has cerebral palsy, and will do anything to help her sister. Brittany has the strength to know her own heart and mind. Since Perfect Chemistry is told in alternating chapters, first Alex, then Brittany, we see how others see her, and her truth. And yes -- she can be bitchy. And dishonest. But she also is committed to her sister and her family.
Alex Fuentes is what he looks like: a gang member, like his father before him. But what you cannot tell from looking at him: he dreams of college and escape. But if he leaves, who will take care of his mother and younger brothers? If he's in the Latino Blood gang, it means his brothers don't have to be. To protect them, he has created a fake-life, the life Brittany sees, tough talking, ready to fight, carrying guns, committing crimes. But he has a truth: he is committed to his family; and while he knows he can never leave the gang, he does well in school and is a decent, nice guy. Like Brittany, he isn't perfect; he has a temper and can be judgmental.
Alex and Brittany, thrown together by the fate of alphabetical order. As the year goes on, they both begin to see the truth about the other.
This is an AMAZING romance. And H.O.T. There is heat, it is steamy, it is awesome.
The gang life is not glorified. There is bloodshed, deaths, drug deals, arrests. But, the gang members are not vilified; this isn't a message book. It's clear that the gang meets a need; for Alex, it's a way to protect his family. For some of his friends, the gang becomes the family they lack.
Plus, bonus -- this is also a mystery. Alex was six when his father was killed; and Alex is beginning to ask questions, to try to solve his father's murder.
Like I said, this isn't a message book; it's not didactic. But there are some things a reader can take away: do the right thing. Love matters. Life is made of hard choices. But, again -- this is not preachy. There is meaning and depth here.
My only disappointment? I wanted MORE! So I was very psyched to see at the author's website that Rules of Attraction, the sequel, is coming in 2010!
Last note: I moved this up on my TBR pile for a couple of reasons. One, I was looking for more books with covers of people of color, and Alex, who is Mexican, is featured on the cover. Elkeles is not Latino, but from the endnotes she reveals that she carefully researched Alex's world to make it as realistic as possible. Two, I heard Elkeles speak at ALA, and she is TERRIFIC. And funny. And caring. And really, truly believes in teen literacy and in writing books for boys and girls. Seriously -- while, yes, this book IS a Romeo & Juliet romance (and a great romance!), it is also a story full of action. Yes, teenage boys will like it. Also, she has a great website for Perfect Chemistry with a video, and playlists!
And yes...it's one of my favorite books of the year.
OOh, this sounds tasty. My only objection is the usual one -- could he not have been something, eh, nonviolent? Or non-clichéd? I mean, I'm loving that a Mexican guy gets put into a novel, don't get me wrong, but maybe his Dad could be in a Mariachi band or something? Why must our only choices be gang-banger and/or field laborer? I can't think of a novel I've read that didn't have a Mexican person portrayed with a lowrider car and gang-banging and/or a field not in the background.
Not that I'm objecting to the romance or the book or the cover. It's lovely. Just... wistful thinking.
I also loved this book. I thought it did an excellent job of taking a very well known story line (girl falls for guy from the "wrong side of the tracks") and keeping it interesting. I'm a little nervous about the sequel though. Like Alexa, I thought this one wrapped everything up nicely.
I also loved this book--thank you for reminding me about it. I think romance, along with other genre fiction sometimes gets the short shrift. I am glad to hear that there is a sequel on the way, and second the accolades for Elkeles who sent me a very nice e-mail for my enthusiasm in sharing this book with others.
Superb review, Liz. I thought this book was hella fun and passed it on as much as I could. What a good read it is. And thanks for the heads up on the sequel! Can't wait.
regarding the sequel: what i suspect (but did not do much googling for) is that it's a companion and won't be strictly about brittany & alex. there seemed to be a few loose threads with alex's story (IMHO); i really wanted another alex chapter; so I'm thinking, perhaps, some of their friends?
tanita, I hear you; to confess, I did go in with mixed feelings about just that issue. that said, I had heard Simone speak so was aware that she had done research, based this on a local town's dynamics, spoken with various people, etc. given the plot (and trying to not be spoilery), I think Alex's father had to be in the gang. first, as a reader, it was a bit shocking to realize that & i figure that revealed my own biases (one minute Alex is talking about his great dad, the next says oh yeah in the gang); second, the murder of his father is important to the plot and it would not have worked so well if his father was doing something else; and third, part of the book (without being messagey) is the appeal of gangs in terms of being a quasi-family for members, and so again, alex's father's involvement ties into this - that it's not just young teens looking for trouble, it's young teens whose role models are involved.
Elkeles did a great job of showing other members of Alex's family in positive situations (including a family wedding) as well as Alex's own struggle on how to protect his family / break the cycle / have a future that is ... well, I cannot tell, it would be a spoiler!
Great post and review! I thought this was an outstanding YA book - possibly the best I've ever read, certainly the best I've read in years. I'm really looking forward to more books by this author.
In my opinion the "hot" factor is mostly the sexual chemistry, but there is sex and desire and stuff like the "F-word" and other profanity that some parents and/or schools might find offending. Since it's about high school seniors and gang violence some might feel its better suited for 16 years and up. That said, I think its the best YA book I've read in years and I think most teens will like it.
I'd put this down as more High School than middle school for the reasons MsMoonlight says; not so much the sex (it IS there, but not graphic) but the language (not as much F's as Nick & Nora, but still there) & violence (the gang violence is not downplayed). Obviously, there will be 7th/8th graders who are mature enough for this book, but in terms of school libraries & booktalking, I'd aim it at HS
I think Simone Elkeles has created a wonderful, modern tale of those ever-popular star-crossed lovers, in Perfect Chemistry. Though I must say....I'm not a fan of the cover at all. Not one single bit. Loved the story though, so it's all good.
Brittany Ellis is rich, popular, beautiful, and puts her mask of perfection on every day when she heads to school. Her home life, however, is not perfect at all, with parents that can't get along and a mentally disabled sister she lovingly takes care of. When she is set to be chem lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a guy from the South side of town, one who always has rumors of drug abuse, gang violence floating around about him, the pair instantly clash.
Alex has some issues in his life....his dad was murdered right in front of his eyes, he has a less-than-stellar mother, and is forced to belong to a gang to insure the safety of his younger brothers. After taking a bet, Alex attempts to get Brittany to fall for him, but ends up truly falling for her instead. The couple that instantly hated each other is now falling in love, breaking stereotypes and boundaries as they go.
I really enjoyed this contemporary Romeo and Juliet story. In today's society, the plot is really not that far-fetched and the characters incredibly realistic. Brittany is, at first, portrayed as a spoiled brat, though the reader soon finds out she is a wonderful, caring, lovable girl. Alex is deemed the tough guy, the drug dealer, the gang member, but we learn how small he feels in such a big world, how much he wants to keep his family safe, and his determination to find his father's killer.
Elkeles is obviously very talented, giving us a great story, a memorable cast of characters, and a message that will stay with the reader for a very long time.
Again, I do not think the cover does this book justice, it makes it appear a romancy drama, missing out on all the depth Brittany and Alex have. The passion the reader gets once the cover is opened definitely makes up for it though.
To learn more or to purchase, click on the book cover above to link to Amazon.
Perfect Chemistry Simone Elkeles 432 pages Young Adult Walker 9780802798237 January 2009
2 Comments on Perfect Chemistry review, last added: 3/2/2009
When I first heard of this novel, I was apprehensive because of the cover. However, after reading all the good reviews, I am interested in reading the novel.
So this week THE BUZZ GIRLS are spreadin' the LOVE and I'm giving away not ONLY a HARD COVER signed copy of Perfect Chemistry, I'm also giving away a t-shirt that says ES UN LIBRO - It's a book! (from my rap video - if you haven't seen it go to my website at http://www.simoneelkeles.net/ and watch it!) I'm sorry, but this has to be sent to a US address only.
So here's the deal with the shirt. They're from my big book launch party and all I have are a womens small (shown) which is REALLY small. Or I have a mens t-shirt in a size XL (it's really big, and the writing in pink on the girls shirt is in white on the mens shirt). If you're the one lucky winner, you can choose which shirt you want. And if you already have Perfect Chemistry and want to switch it out for another Simone Elkeles book, that's okay too.
BONUS GIVEAWAY!!!
TEN lucky second-prize winners will receive three (3) Simone Elkeles pens. They write in PURPLE INK!!!
Here's what you have to do to enter the contest (remember that winners must have a US address) - WRITE DOWN A SLANG WORDORTEXTING ACRONYM THAT YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS USE A LOT! Be creative! (NO PROFANITY, PLEASE)
THE ONE WINNER OF THE BOOK/SHIRT AND THE TEN WINNERS OF THE PENS WILL BE POSTED ON MONDAY, SO BE SURE TO COME BACK AND CHECK IF YOU'VE WON!
author of: How to Ruin a Summer Vacation #3 on Top Ten Teen Books Perfect Chemistry in bookstores now! 2008 Author of the Year by the IL Assoc. of Teachers of English http://www.simoneelkeles.com/
32 Comments on VALENTINES GIVEAWAY!, last added: 2/20/2009
So while not that unusual or anything but I've been trying to quit cursing for years as I work with kids and it just isn't cool professionally, so instead I use filler words like "oh, SNAP!" being my fav. It usually gets a laugh and I don't negatively influence anyone.
LOL... my niece and I use it as Laugh Out Loud but my mother-in-law uses it as Lots of Love, which can get awful confusing. As could be Lots of Luck. <3 :)
I don't really use shortened words or anything when I text, because it annoys me... I even use commas and everything when I text. :p I'm such an English nerd. The only one I use is lol.
But, anyway, my friends use ttfn (ta ta for now), jk (just kidding). Those are the two main ones. I can't not stand them doing this, though, and I let them know... maybe that's why they haven't been using them lately? haha. :)
a lot of times me and my friends use is "oh shiz!" we use it instead of saying oh shi*
I'm similar to Nikki, I don't like using bad words. What I do is substitute silly words for the bad ones it's pretty fun and actually catchy hehe I've gotten a LOT of my friends to say fudge brownies instead of the other word haha it's pretty interesting hehe
CYNA Could You Not Abbreviate, because my friend and I always get emails with so many abbreviations it can't be deciphered. So for all you hypocrites out there, CYNA!
Teddi said, on 2/12/2009 5:35:00 PM
Overused acronym: 2c4u (too cool for you) Favorite slang word: fosho (for sure) Haha both of these words get used a LOT at my school! Love your books Simone :)
My mom sister and I always use "defily"(don't ever forget i love you) to say good by to eachother. It means alot to us because my sister is not living with us at home anymore and we miss her. So "defily" which sounds like deaf with -ly tagged onto the end of it is our way of saying "love you".
kp said, on 2/12/2009 6:22:00 PM
the only one i can think of right now is the one i just used, ngl: not gonna lie.
I'm going to hope this counts because I'm a dork and don't use really any texting stuff (my mother uses more than I do)...but I do use bc or b/c a lot for because--probably because I use that in writing, too :)
Slang: Slog. As in, I slog, you slog, he she it slogs.
Ex: I'm totally slogging in algebra.
Acronym: TSB: A creation of my two best friends and I, standing for That's So Britney. We use it whenever one of the guys in our school shaves his head, like Brit did while so was having a little breakdown.
I use "no manches" a lot. I picked it up when I was on exchange to Mexico. Depending on the context it can mean different things, but I guess the best way to describe it is to tell someone to stop kidding around or to show disbelief or surprise.
I love everything that you are giving away. The es un libro shirt is so fun.
my sister and I say BRB whenever we leave a room. we even have our Mom saying it when she is going somewhere. BRB! and I will because I always come back to this blog!
I use TTYL for texting and emailing, and ROFL and LOL alot also in both of those. I am pretty new to texting, but with teens it's a necessity, so I'd better get used to it!
Okay,, I don't get half of what people are writing here :S, but anyway, my sister and I started to use this code word for "gay". Instead of saying it out loud we started saying Greg-Adam. And now my whole family uses it and all of my friends... =P
Me and my best friend love reading and writing, so we talk in random literary jargon, constantly throwing around terms like "Mary Sue" and "muse" and "nanoism" while people give us strange looks of confusion.
And I don't really send text messages, but when I'm online I someimes use lol, omg, and smileys :). I also tend to put things in *asterisks*.
paradoxrevealed (at) aim (dot) com
Liz A (Fremd) said, on 2/20/2009 9:50:00 PM
lqtm laughing quietly to myself...p.s. you're coming to my school..Fremd on Tues,Feb 24..im so psyched..im begging my Spanish teacher to take my class to see you..i think i might persuade her by showing her that video of Perfect Chemistry that you created for your latest book..it has some Espanol in it.
So Tina's book got me thinking about lips. The cover of her new book is beautiful, and shows these awesome lips. Which got me wondering what makes the lips beautiful.
Some women have big lips, on the top and bottom:
Like Angelina Jolie...
And Kim Kardashian...
Those two women are absolutely gorgeous, in my opinion. But I have a lip that pretty much disappears when I smile. Do I have to have big lips in order to be pretty? Here are some actresses with less than big lips:
Hayden Panettiere...(who I could totally see playing Brittany in the movie version of my book Perfect Chemistry)
Or Kristin Stewart (who played Bella in Twilight)...
These girls don't have huge big lips and they're still beautiful. So I guess it's the total package that makes "beauty" (and I'm really only talking outside beauty here for this post).
I have no problem with plastic surgery for people who want it. But I don't think I'd get my lips "plumped" because I don't want people speculating if I'd had them "done" and God forbid something should go wrong and I look like a monster! Facial plastic surgery is kind of scary to me.
I saw this pic and thought, "hmm...did she have some top-lip plumping done???"
Do you like your lips? Would you change them to be "plumper" if you could? Any suggestions for over the counter plumping products that you've used?
Congrats again to Tina for her release of The ABC's of Kissing Boys!
author of: How to Ruin a Summer Vacation #3 on Top Ten Teen Books Perfect Chemistryin bookstores now! 2008 Author of the Year by the IL Assoc. of Teachers of English www.simoneelkeles.com
9 Comments on Big Lips...do you have them or want them?, last added: 1/25/2009
What a fun post! I agree that the girl on the cover of of my book has terrific lips! It has already led readers to ask me about the lipstick AND if I knew the model!
One thing I've noticed about Hayden and Kristen (who I agree, are gorgeous without big lips) is that they both have what I'd call prominent lips that curl a bit at the top. So maybe it's not size as much as distinction!
I have never thought about my lips one way or another, but wouldn't want them blown out of proportion. In fact, in TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS, one character is referred to as having "trout lips," and readers seemed to know that meant overstuffed collagen lips!
I love my lips. Those and my eyes are my favorite features. And yeah, they are full. Maybe not quite Angelina full, but close. And my eyes are almost black. Now if I could just love the rest of me as much. :)
I like my lips. They aren't too big or too small, but they do have what my mom calls that "tulip" look. You know, those lips with the very defined curves on the top lip. I'd use a plumping cosmetic maybe, as long as it didn't make them feel too weird... I hear they feel tingly.
What does annoy me about my lips though is that they are constantly dry! Summer, winter, lip balm, no lip balm.... I can't win!
Anonymous said, on 1/23/2009 6:20:00 PM
my lips are fine just the way they are at least thats what I think. :)
Anonymous said, on 1/24/2009 3:00:00 PM
I like my lips the way they are. Being short I love the fact that I can be comfertable with other parts of me than my hight. Oh Simone you visited my school in South Carolina about a week or week and a half ago. I loved your book Perfect Chemistry!
For as long as I can remember, I have been in love with New Year's Eve. When I was little, I'd sit up with my stuffed animals and have a party with them, complete with sparkling cider that my mother would buy for me. I'd hang my brother's disco ball (left over from his prom) on my ceiling fan and put a flashlight on the floor beaming up at it. Wow...my own club! As I got older, I'd hang out with friends and ring in the new year with firecrackers and fun. And, of course, there was always Dick Clark's New Year's Rock 'n Eve and the ball drop in Times Square.
Some of my favorite New Year's memories are vacations my hubby and I took around New Year's. We've been in Vancouver, Toronto, Paris, and Miami Beach. I love how each of the different cities celebrate and watching all the people who come to the areas.
This year, it's low key at the Gibson household...but that's okay. Since we have our two new family members (Stanley and Natasha), we want to stay in with the kitties and ring in the New Year. Sure, there will be champagne and we'll watch the fireworks on TV and from from our balcony, but we're just happy that we were so blessed with so many wonderful things in 2008. Our wish for 2009 is health, wealth, happiness, and friendship for everyone!
What are your plans tonight? Let us know!
And to round out the festitivies...thanks to everyone who posted teh 170 (WOW!) comments in conjuntion with the giveaway of Simone's book PERFECT CHEMISTRY. I put all of the names in an Excel sheet, numbered them, then called my hubby and said, "Give me a number between..." And the winner is.... ~~~~~~~~~~THAO!~~~~~~~~~~~
Please send me your snail mail address at marley @ webstuffdesign.com (no spaces.) Thanks to everyone! I think we hit a record for Buzz Girl comments! LOL!!
Happiest of Happy New Year's to all of you and we hope you'll join us in 2009 for even more fun!
P.S. If you'd like to check out my interview on Para-x.com radio's Spooks R Us program on Monday night, please check here for the replay. My interview starts 64 minutes into the show.
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING (Coming May 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE (Coming October 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE (Coming October 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
CHRISTMAS MIRACLES (Coming October 2009, St. Martin's Press)
SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (Available from Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (Available from Puffin Books)
4 Comments on New Year's Eve!...and a Winner!, last added: 1/6/2009
170 comments for the Perfect Chemisty giveaway! Indeed a Buzz Blog record. That's awesome and incredible...and congrats to Thao!
As far as New Year's, for many years, we've had a tradition of celebrating with friends in one or another of our homes, and that continues tonight. Happy New Year to all!
Could we *be* any prouder of Simone here at Books, Boys, Buzz with her awesome new release, PERFECT CHEMISTRY? We probabaly could be, but then we'd be busting all of the buttons off our clothes from the pride! Huge congrats to Simone on her release!!! Can't wait for Amazon.com to deliver my copy.
And you, too, can have your very own SIGNED copy of the book. My Christmas/Hanukkah present to one of our awesome readers! All you have to do is leave holiday greetings in the comments trail...as many times as you'd like. No limit to the entries this time! What they hay...it's the holidays! Cheers and glad tidings all around.
Here's wishing you and yours an awesome holiday season and all good things for 2009! Thanks for supporting the Buzz Girls and we're looking forward to an awesome New Year!
Big hugs, Marley = )
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING (Coming May 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE (Coming October 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) GHOST HUNTRESS: THE REASON (Coming May 2010, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (Available from Puffin Books) SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (Available from Puffin Books)
169 Comments on Christmas/Hanukkah Giveaway!, last added: 1/1/2009
Happy Christmas! (I love that from the beginning of John Lennon's song!)
Anonymous said, on 12/24/2008 12:50:00 PM
Happy Holidays! Hanukkah, Christmas, Box Day, Kwanza Everything! I really want a signed copy of her book! Is it signed by Simone Elkeles? Oh an guess what my name is in the acknowledgements page at the end of the book! I got mentioned in the book! It says something about me my name is susan. I am a fan of her books! She said she would mention me in the book and she did I am in the second to last page of the acknowledgements or the last page its in the part where she talks about her fans. If you get the book please read it when you get the chance thanks! Feliz Navidad amigos!
I think peanut butter cookies with little chocolate kisses on the top are very Christmas-y...I wish I had some of those :) (kind of like how I want to win the book)
If I did (do) win you wouldn't have to worry about bad weather holding up the book's arrival-like the weather is doing to the present I sent my friend-because we don't really have any this time of year ;)
Amal Zidan said, on 12/24/2008 6:04:00 PM
Happy Hunakkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Years!!!!!!!
Amal Zidan said, on 12/24/2008 6:06:00 PM
Kul Sana Wa intu Salmin!! (Happy Holidays in Arabic)
Merry Christmas, or Maligayang Pasko, or Sretan Božić, or Kala Christouyenna, or Feliz Navidad, or Joyeux Noël, or Hyvää Joulua, or Buon Natale, or Fröhliche Weihnachten, or Glædelig Jul, or S'Rozhdestvom Kristovym, or Wesołych Świątor, or Nollaig Shona Duit, or Milad Majeed, or Gëzuar Krishtëlindjen, or Chag HaMoled Sameach to you all!
This is the 86th comment :D Have a whale of a time at the end of 2008 everyone. Looks like we all are desperate to win Perfect Chemistry hey? I'm so excited bout this contest
WOW...look at the comment trail! You people really want Simone's book, eh? That's EXCELLENT! I'll pick the winner and announce on Wednesday - New Year's Eve!
I wonder why Santa didn't give each of us a copy of Perfect Chemistry so we could all be happy, but err, then there'd be no comment trail game ; | No fun.
I'm reading everyone's comments now and what Susan said was woah. I can't believe you actually mentioned your fan Simone, that was super duper sweet : D
I loved reading all of your comments! How fun! I seriously wish I could give everyone a free copy. Yes, I appreciate my fans so much I mentioned some in the acknowledgments page. Susan even created scrapblogs of my books, which was cool. All of us Buzz Girls love our fans, they're so awesome!
I'm glad you enjoy reading our comments Simone, I was afraid you would be scared by my massive replies haha. A scrapblog of your books? Susan is awesome! I wish I could do something like that. And don't worry, I'm sure we all have a way to get your book as we're so into it. As for me, I'll flood this message board :D
I love the multitude of languages in this comment thread! Christmas is over, but Hanukah is still going and as long as I'm not in school it's the holiday season, so...
This is Thao spamming again. I don't know whether the one with most comments will win, but because I want to have Perfect Chemistry so much, I have to give this a try ^^
So...have you seen the hilarious Making of...video yet? Watch it below!
So my new book that came out this week is titled PERFECT CHEMISTRY. It's about a Latino gang member who falls for the rich girl who he's paired with in chemistry class senior year of high school.
If you haven't seen the rap video, I'm going to post it here at the end.
So today we're going to talk about "bad boys." What makes a bad boy bad? Is it the perception of being bad? I dated a boy in high school (let's call him Luke) who everybody labeled as "bad". He was gorgeous, 21 (and I was 18), smoked cigarettes, and was a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who had just come out of rehab.
In front of everyone else, Luke acted like he didn't care about anything or anyone in the world. He was hard-core and looked it. He put on a very cool front to the world. One day he bought black spray paint and we spent an entire day spraypainting his yellow car black. Even his car engine was loud (we even got stopped by the police for his engine being too loud).
But behind closed doors Luke was sensitive and romantic. He cried when he was sad and was goofy and funny when he was happy. He was the most loving person I've ever met to this day. When I went on vacation, he used to tape his voice on a tape recorder about how much I meant to him and he'd talk about the times we shared and the fears he had. He'd give me the tape to play on the plane ride (that was when everyone had a Walkman). I'm married with kids, but I still have those tapes because they meant so much to me and seriously why would I throw away something that says, "Simone, you're a gift from God and the best thing in the world, etc, etc."
With Perfect Chemistry, I wanted to show a rough guy "Alex" who is really something different than he shows to the outside world. And Brittany, the heroine, is totally different than everyone else thinks she is. I show you the stereotype and break them throughout the book.
So in reality things with Luke didn't work out, but he will always have a special place in my heart as the not-so-bad-boy I fell in love with.
Not all bad boys are bad...are they?
So Perfect Chemistry is a total fantasy...it's the "what if" book! I think the attraction to bad boys is that they're mysterious and we want to find out if under the rough exterior they're really sweet and caring and loving guys with a heart of gold. Not all bad boys are like this...stay away from those bad-to-the-bone boys...but there are some that are teddy bears to the core!
Did you ever date a bad boy? Are you dating a bad boy or have a crush on one? Are you married to one?
author of: How to Ruin a Summer Vacation #3 on Top Ten Teen Books Perfect Chemistry in bookstores now! 2008 Author of the Year by the IL Assoc. of Teachers of English www.simoneelkeles.com
3 Comments on PERFECT CHEMISTRY's Bad Boy Alex...and the attraction to Bad Boys!, last added: 12/23/2008
Okay, so as usual I'm posting late. It was a long day, and on top of that I adopted a new dog from the shelter because my current dog seemed lonely after losing our 16 year old dog Shayna a few months ago. Here's the new 2 year old dog we rescued...we named her MILEY! I urge everyone who likes dogs to adopt one...there are so many dogs who are in desperate need of homes. If you adopted a dog, let me know in the comments section!
Okay, let's go through Simone's stages of hair.
Here I am in grade school with my pleather jacket. It came with matching pants, and I LOVED that outfit! (I think it made me look like Pinky Tuscadero (spelling??) from Happy Days and I wanted to date The Fonz.) Notice the natural hair...wavy but not curly.
Enter the SCARY ZONE!! Yes, it was the 80's when I took this Junior High picture. And blue/purple eye shadow was very "in" although I don't know if people wore it all the way from their eyelid up until their bushy eyebrows (I think I was afraid to wax or pluck them). I curled my hair that way on purpose (yes, the sides of my hair as well as the bangs), if you can believe it. Is it any wonder I never had a boyfriend in junior high?
This is my senior picture of high school. Perms were in. I still don't think I had an eyebrow wax yet, although I do get them done now.
This is my college picture. I was done with the perm and used a straightener to straighten my hair every day. I always liked long hair because I think it looks better on me.
I guess that's it. My phases of hair cuts and styles throughout my life. What do you think? What's in? What's not? Are perms coming back? Is long hair in or out?
author of: Leaving Paradise 2008 RITA® finalist How to Ruin a Summer Vacation #3 on Top Ten Teen Books How to Ruin my Teenage Life 2008 AJL Notable Book for Teens 2008 Author of the Year by the IL Assoc. of Teachers of English http://www.simoneelkeles.com/
9 Comments on Simone's life in pictures...and pics of the dog we rescued!, last added: 10/24/2008
I love these pics, Simone. You look great with straight or curly hair. I have to get perms just to have any curl or body in my hair. I hate them but it is a necessary evil. ;)
I remember the full eyebrow being a trend (started by teen model Brook Shields). Magazines even had tips on how to gel and brush them up to make them look fuller. You remain blameless and adorable!
Beautiful pictures...and I particularly like your college shot with the straight hair, but that's a lot of hard work for us naturally curly people, huh?
I wish my face was as thin now as it was back then. Back to working out now...
Anonymous said, on 10/24/2008 6:40:00 PM
A lot of the hairstyles you have are in! Even the perm! Cool Blog! Oh and I never adopted a dog but I did get a dog from a vetenarian place in New Jersey. It is a Chinese Shar-Pei and it is a girl and her name is Cuddles my sister named her when we were in 2nd grade now i am in 8th grade and I have had her for about 7 years now and she is 6 years old. she is cute! Also your dog is cute too!
Okay, I got hair extentions because I'm going to be in this rap video (as the book trailer for my new book Perfect Chemistry...which I will post here as soon as we shoot the video) I wanted to look different, and my friend Debbie got hair extensions and said they'll "change my life!"
So I usuall have really long hair (see buzz/bee picture above) but I got it cut shoulder length about six months ago. I liked it, but I really missed my long hair. So....in three hours of sitting at the salon I went from medium length hair to really really long hair!
Here's a pic I took of myself in the mirror with my iPhone after coming back from the salon.
My hair was actually way longer, but I got it cut shorter because I thought I looked too much like Cher. I got curly extensions, but they had straight ones too. I have to admit, people don't know I have extensions in...unless I tell them. Although they wonder what vitamin I'm taking to make my hair grow so long so fast...really they don't even think they're extensions.
So I found some youtube videos that show hair extensions and in one you can even see them being put in hair. I hope you can see them, I'm so bad about links and embedding videos.
author of: Leaving Paradise 2008 RITA® finalist How to Ruin a Summer Vacation #3 on Top Ten Teen Books How to Ruin my Teenage Life 2008 AJL Notable Book for Teens 2008 Author of the Year by the IL Assoc. of Teachers of English www.simoneelkeles.com
10 Comments on And poof! I have long hair in just 3 hours!, last added: 10/20/2008
A friend of mine had them, and when she tired of them, she had them removed but attached little clips to them so she can put them back in whenever she wants! You look great-- and I can't wait to see the video!
I got hair extensions when I got married 2 yrs ago. I was calling it my Beyonce Hair. Now, I have braids. I like them because I don't have to worry about styling it every day. I can just get up, brush/comb the ends (it's braided on top and straight on the ends) and go. I love it! I'd do braids all the time but it can get expensive.
I an Queen of Hair Extensions. hehe. I get them put in like twice a year, at least, mine are braided in though. I actually have some in right now, and October 29th will make them 3months old. hehe. I should be taking them out after then though cause it's starting to look old. It looks something like this. http://hair.lovetoknow.com/images/Hair/b/b4/Braidstyle2.jpg
Simone Elkeles’ Perfect Chemistry is a teen romance full of clichés, melodrama, an unrealistic denouement, and a completely over the top epilogue. And I freaking loved it. Ate it up with a spoon like it was an ice cream sundae.
I was initially wary because Perfect Chemistry utilizes the same alternating narrators format as Leaving Paradise, this time switching between Alex, Hot Latino Tough Guy Gangbanger (with a brain), and Brittany, Popular Perfect Blond Rich Girl (with a secret). Forced to become partners for the entire year in their chemistry class, Alex and Brittany start to see each other past the rumors and stereotypes and façades they’ve erected. Do I need to spell out what happens next?
In any case, Alex’s chapters were…better than Caleb’s in Leaving Paradise. Oh, there were still parts that had me shaking my head, wondering, “Dude, what kind of guy talks like this?” but it happened less often than Leaving Paradise. As for the rest of the book, for a story that’s supposedly about two teens who learn to see past stereotypes, most of the secondary characters were stereotypical. The plot points alternated between the ridiculous and the predictable, and the epilogue ranks right up there with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as my least favorite epilogues of all time.
And yet, I was totally sucked into the story. Elkeles had me hooked and I have no idea how she did it. Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. I think Elkeles does emotion well, despite (or is it because of?) all the melodrama. Ultimately, though, there’s just something about her writing that that makes me need to keep reading, regardless of all the problems I may have with the book, though I cannot identify what that something is. I had to finish the book, had to find out if Alex and Brittany would end up together.*
There’s a lot of crude language in this book—I did mention Alex is in a gang, yes?—and, well, let’s just say this is definitely a romance for more mature teens. It won’t change anyone’s mind about romances, by which I mean girls looking for a romance will adore it and those with less patience for its bad boy/good girl setup and occassionally unrealistically (there’s that word again) sentimental dialogue, not to mention the way it romanticizes the bad boy and gives false hope about the possibilities of reforming them, won’t. If you don’t think much of romances to begin with, this is definitely not the book I’d recommend to change your mind. I have a hard time picturing this one in school libraries, and I think it will be one of those books readers either love or hate, especially judging by the other reviews I’ve read, at Teen Book Review and Semicolon (warning: spoilers!).
Perfect Chemistry will be published on December 23.
* Can I call this Diana Palmer for the high school set even though I utterly failed in my attempt to read a Diana Palmer book? Just based on this statement about a Palmer book: “it was crazy and insane and it made no sense and yet I still loved it”?
5 Comments on Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, last added: 10/14/2008
Hahahaha interesting to see this review, because you, Trisha, had a similar response to LEAVING PARADISE to mine, so I figure we’ll probably agree on this one, too. That remains to be see!
Steph
Angie said, on 9/26/2008 2:04:00 PM
Wow. Quite the review. I may have to check this one out and see if I love it despite the overwroughtness.
Trisha said, on 9/26/2008 6:41:00 PM
This book defines guilty pleasure for me. Really looking forward to seeing what others have to say. (Yes, that means you Steph!)
links for 2008-09-28 « YA Fabulous! said, on 9/28/2008 3:02:00 AM
[...] Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles « The YA YA YAs And yet, I was totally sucked into the story. Elkeles had me hooked and I have no idea how she did it. Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. I think Elkeles does emotion well, despite (or is it because of?) all the melodrama. Ultimately, though, there’s just something about her writing that that makes me need to keep reading, regardless of all the problems I may have with the book, though I cannot identify what that something is. (tags: blog-reviews simone-elkeles perfect-chemistry) [...]
Trisha’s June-September roundup « The YA YA YAs said, on 10/14/2008 12:47:00 AM
[...] by Nancy Werlin Between my lukewarm reaction to Impossible and my review of Perfect Chemistry, I won’t be surprised if people start to think I have really bad taste. Because as [...]
/ Simone Elkeles's Website
You may recall that when I reviewed 
I have these constant, “Ugh, hate the epilogue” thoughts whenever I think about the books, but at least you’re warned now! Read most of Rules of Attraction, skip the epilogue. That way, you know it’s bad, but will never know exactly how awful it is. Unless one of your teens tells you.
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by 
Simone Elkeles
Loved seeing these pictures, Marley! And loved being your roomie!
And a reminder to our readers that I am also doing an RT giveaway of a Meg Cabot book, so to scroll back two days and enter BOTH.
That is hilarious that you swiped the Buddha book from the hotel, Marley. It looks like a fabulous time was had by all!!!
i want to enter. my daughter loves meg cabot
LOL, Steph! I didn't *mean* to swipe the Budha book...I was thumbing through it one night and must have just tossed it onto my stack of books. I figure I'm meant to read it, eh! = )
Well, of course, I'm looking forward to The Discovery. But I'm also really excited for The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson, Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter, and What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen. The Last Little Blue Envelope will be released on April 26th, so there isn't much more of a wait. Uncommon Criminals will be released June 21st. What Happened to Goodbye will be released May 10th. These are the first few books that came to mind that haven't been released yet, but there are a few books in some of my favorites series that haven't been written yet, but are still promised to be released... eventually. Haha. Well, thanks, Marley!
Boo is a great Vanna White!
Did you at least refrain from knocking the headboard off the wall? ;-)
I'm looking forward to Blood Magic - Tessa Gratton, The Space Between - Brenna Yovanoff and Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater.
lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com
Oh. My Gosh. I would love that book I hope I win!!
thanks Marley