Perfect Chemistry Review

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
At Fairfield High School, on the outskirts of Chicago, everyone knows that the south siders and north siders aren't exactly compatible elements. So when head cheerleader Brittany Ellis and gang member Alex Fuentes are forced to be lab partners in chemistry class, the results are bound to be explosive. But neither teen is prepared for the most surprising chemical reaction of all -- love. Can they break through the stereotypes and misconceptions that threaten to keep them apart?

I've wanted to read this book and Rules of Attraction ever since I saw the book trailer for RoA. Since Rules of Attraction isn't out yet, I sprang for PC when my mom gave me the chance to order a book online. It arrived on Friday. I started it at midnight, stayed up from midnight to one reading it two nights in a row, and then finished it Sunday morning. Not once did I ever willingly put it down.

Perfect Chemistry did NOT disappoint. I'm extremely anxious to get my hands on the sequel now. I have a feeling I'm going to like that one even better...

PC uses an alternate PoV with Alex and Brittany very well. My favorite PoV to be in was Alex's. He didn't hold anything back and told it all like it was. I loved seeing what was going on his head. Though it was interesting to see things from Brittany's PoV once in awhile. I know this is a small detail, but I really liked the different texts for their names at the beginning of each chapter. They fit both of them perfectly.

The voice and characters for both were very well done. There was Alex just trying to survive being in a gang so he could protect his mom and brothers. Then there was Brittany trying to keep up her I-have-a-perfect-life facade despite the fact that it's far from perfect.

Overall: 9.5/10 I'm very glad that I bought this book because I want to read it again, but it didn't quite crack my top ten books list. GAH nine more days until Rules of Attraction's release...

*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***

The main thing that I didn't like was that every time they break up, Brittany pretty much falls apart. It might be true to her character, but it was actually pretty annoying. Though at the end she does start to pick up the pieces and go on to do what she wanted to do, so that redeemed her a little bit.

I like how what Alex writes in Brittany's notebook in their first chemistry class together actually happens later in the story. I enjoyed the irony.

LOVED the motorcycle scene in the rain. It was so sweet and I liked that it came from Alex's PoV. It woudn't have been as good coming from Brittany. We wouldn't have seen Alex's internal battle.

Hector being Alex's father's murderer wasn't a surprise to me. I suspected it a long time before and I was happy when he died. I did scream "I knew it!" at the realization moment.

The ending with Alex showing up at the hospital and playing a game with Shelley and telling Brittany he wanted to marry her on their graduation day and then skipping ahead in time to show their son, Paco Fuertes, in chemistry class... It. Was. Awesome.

This book was definitely worth the long wait it took before I got it. =D

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