April 2015: Most Anticipated YA Reads

This weekend, the amazing, fun and author-filled Yallwest just happened in Santa Monica, and I sadly couldn't go because of reasons. *cries for an eternity* Naturally, I have a lot of feels about books that just ended up with me looking up, well, more books. I know it's already mid-April, but here are some books coming out in the remainder of this month that I, for one, am looking forward to.

(I apologize right now for the apparent genre bias in this list. I can't seem to get enough of fantasy these days. Thanks, Sarah J. Maas.)

APRIL 14

Dream A Little Dream by Kerstin Gier
Why the hype: I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure that the Ruby Red trilogy was. It was hilarious and action-packed without ever being too much of the other. Plus, the synopsis sounds very The Raven Boys, which I love. 

The Prom Goer's Interstellar Excursion by Chris McCoy

Why the hype: I'm a sucker for long titles if they actually make sense to me. This one does, and not only does the synopsis sound like a lot of fun, it also looks fun cover-wise. I'm not one to turn down happy adventure books, so let me at it. *grabby hands*

APRIL 21

Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Why the hype: I admit that I haven't had the pleasure of reading a Jessi Kirby book, but a good friend of mine absolutely adores and loves her works. He's gone through a lot just to get his books signed by her, and rated every single one of her books highly. He's not an easy reader to please, so if he's looking forward to this, then I am, too. 

APRIL 28 

(Get ready when this day comes, you guys, apparently we'll all be hanging out at the bookstores closest to us. It's a big one.)

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Why the hype: You all know by now that this book has been the most-looked-forward-to book this April. I see why, given the fantastic synopsis, so I have really high hopes for this one! 

The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
Why the hype: I've always had a fascination for two forces that seem to be battling, but in truth can't exist, or is magnified by one or the other. Despite being a love story, this book promises to be unique and deep, which I'm all in for. 

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
Why the hype: Sadly, this book had me at "For readers of Leigh Bardugo and Cassandra Clare..." *sighs* Pretty big names, book! I shall have high expectations! 

Rook by Sharon Cameron
Why the hype: Another thing you should know about me is that I love history, as well as the arranged-marriage-but-they-fall-in-love-eventually trope. While the synopsis of this book is giving me those vibes, I also love the tone of mystery to the plot, and so I need this book, like, yesterday. 

The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver
Why the hype: I'm looking forward to this mostly because I've always wanted a twin sister. I have this idea that twins have this very deep connection, deeper than normal siblings have, just because they share a lot of stuff such as their mother's womb, and birthdays. So to have this book, proposing that these two sisters might not have known each other as well as they think they have, is intriguing and mysterious to me.  

Come at me, April (well, the rest of it, anyway)! I can't wait. 

Review: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

I have never attempted to organize my thoughts when I'm writing a review fresh after finishing a book, and I won't attempt it now. So you'll forgive me, if this all turns out to be a jumbled mess in the end. I also can't promise to not spill anything, I'll probably be spilling my entire head into this, but I'll still do my best, of course, these books deserve it--and more.

First off, can we all just stand up and give Tahereh Mafi a huge standing ovation and a round of applause? I'm serious. Get out of your seats and start clapping all around the place. This woman is one heck of an author, who is relentless in reaching out to her fans, whom she knows love the books as much as she does. Some authors write to relay the story of the characters in their heads, some to please readers. Often, only one of these scenarios happens. But Tahereh manages to do both so incredibly well. I've read in one tumblr post that it's still unbelievable that Ignite Me isn't just 'class A fan fiction' because it caters to the readers' wishes through and through. It's like she's read all of our minds and grants every wish, all the while still staying true to the characters' personalities. Granted I would've loved it more if there was some kind of a face-off between father and all of three sons, or some conversation with Anderson, just so it doesn't seem easy, but onto the books!

Now, I would have to admit that the strikethroughs in Shatter Me drew me in and caused me great interest, but surprisingly, I don't miss them in Ignite Me. I loved how Juliette isn't ashamed of her thoughts anymore, as she was in the previous books. I guess being shot at and surviving really just changes you for good. But Tahereh's writing style goes way beyond just the eye-catching strikethroughs; it's really with the elegant poetry in prose form that she manages to capture you. It's riveting, actually, how I find myself almost running to catch up with Juliette's thoughts because sometimes they're just too striking, too powerful, and so painfully accurate I have to back up and internalize. It's virtually impossible to read these books, really read them, and not find yourself, at one point or another, reflecting and relating it to your own life. As a quote collector and enthusiast, these books, were of course, heaven to me. However it's also a dangerous thing; to live and drown the book in quotes would undoubtedly impact the plot. But Tahereh manages this unique balance of having you go through the plot in your head and at the same time have you teetering on the edge of just about philosophizing everything around you with her writing. Her writing, I believe, is the most important component of this series, the main factor that sets her books apart from all the other dystopias out there, next to her amazing characters. There's nothing quite like it, or at least quite as striking--if you'll forgive the pun.

I said that aside from the writing, the characters also set these books apart from others. This is because her characters are so incredibly complex and twisted (make no mistake, I mean this in a good way) that you really just marvel at what they all accomplish throughout the course of the series. They develop, all right, some in the most unpredictable of ways. Adam, for example, who I could never have thought was capable of such anger, like Juliette, probably because we saw him in our heads with Juliette's perception--that is, kind and sweet, caring and protective. I marvel at how in Shatter Me, all these attributes made him endearing, and I of course rooted for him. How my feelings for Adam developed in the same way that Juliette's did. That's pretty amazing to me, because then it means in my head I understood Juliette, that she was written in so real a manner I actually thought her thoughts (although I could never be that lyrical and poetic, not in a million years, my thoughts are usually just a mumbo jumbo of anxieties and joys and worries), and felt her feelings. I admit that in Unravel Me, it became a bit too much and even to me, she was annoying. But don't worry guys, she makes up for it in Ignite Me, and she makes up for it good.

Kenji is so deeply endeared to me, simply because I think he was there as a representative of all of us. Guys guys he was so fangirling over OTPs and interfering like we would and prying and listening and taking care of our babies and keeping things together and making fun and he has our sense of humor and he's a great best friend and wow, I totally lost it there. So much for keeping it together. But yeah, you get the general picture of how I see him. Kenji. Wow I'll miss you.

And of course, Aaron Warner Anderson. Who's so strong, firm, admirable, disciplined, vulnerable and passionate all at the same time. Who was as vital to Juliette's growth as Juliette was to his own. I'm laughing at myself because I'm attempting to describe him in this book, in the entire series, actually, and I'm not sure if there's even a way; if it's even possible. I have never, I'm surprised to say, disliked him in Shatter Me. I mean sure, there were some moments there when I wouldn't mind if he loosened up a bit and showed a bit more emotion, but I had for him a kind of fascination that wanted to make sense of his actions, because there is no way someone could accomplish such acts if he didn't firmly believe in them, and everything they stood for. I wanted to know how he justified his actions, his motivations. It was confounding. He knows himself and he doesn't, he's both capable and incapable, calculating and ruthless and so in tune with his emotions he doesn't even know it. You just, you feel for this guy. It's impossible not to. After reading the novella, Destroy Me, I knew I was screwed. I was ashamed because I knew then that secretly, in Shatter Me, I wanted her to want him. Because I like this guy. And Juliette doesn't. And I was bound to get my heart broken, blah blah, what's new? I'm a reader, this is basically my life. And so it's just so relieving, to have him be given a piece of happiness in Ignite Me, after having been through so much. But just to clear it all up, I have come to a surprising realization during the course of reading Ignite Me. It's that Warner has been a gamble, a bet, an investment. His existence as a character was a risk Tahereh took in the beginning of the series. With his revelations only happening in the third book, it was entirely possible for people to overlook him, to ignore his importance. But he was the key; the ace, if you will. Tahereh gambled, and to me, she won.

I'll most probably be reading the series again, because I'm sure with this new knowledge of how it all goes down in the end, I'd see more of the subtle hints and cues to the characters' personalities that I may have overlooked, on purpose or not, for the sake of keeping my heart safe. I'll be reading again for the sake of shedding light to the purpose behind these characters' actions, with a totally different perspective. I'll be reading them again, and I can't wait.

I read Shatter Me and Unravel Me by borrowing them from the library, and I'd given myself the stipulation that if Warner and Juliette end up together, I'll buy the entire series. But I realized I wasn't willing to wait for my library to get a copy of the book, that I wanted to know what happens, good or bad, and it's this feeling that made me realize that if I feel so strongly about a book, so concerned for the characters, then this series must mean a lot to me. And so I bought them all, right after Ignite Me came out, not knowing what will happen but bracing myself, with fear and excitement. I gambled, and I won, and I can't be happier. Thank you, Tahereh, for the Shatter Me trilogy.

Goodreads

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

I have always had reservations every time I start a book I know would be of the high fantasy genre. Maybe it's just me, but I like to devote my time and effort into being able to understand and picture the world in my head, not having myself be confused at every mention of a foreign word and unusual character name. This was primarily the main reason why I kept putting off reading Siege and Storm, I wanted to wait for the right time, when I was in the right mood, because that's what I did with Shadow and Bone. And when I manage to do this, boy what an experience reading is. This is when it gets--and I kid you not--magical.

Siege and Storm picks up where we left off with Shadow and Bone, with Mal and Alina on the run from the Darkling. However, the Darkling (because he is awesome) eventually manages to find them and leads them aboard Sturmhond's ship for a mission that none of us would have ever seen coming. New alliances are formed, alliances that are of the utmost importance especially now when everything is not as it seems. Alina drifts further away from the things she holds dear, falling deeper into the Darkling's thirst for power, and more dangerous still, even her own.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

While there are a lot of things to love about this new installment to the Grisha series, I do feel like much of what made this book so enjoyable to read was Sturmhond. He's an incredibly complex character who maintains his hilarious but honorable personality throughout the story. How he manages to be perfectly sarcastic one moment, and yet there are times when we're given these rare glimpses into this young man who's only trying to do right by his country. He, along with Tolya and Tamar, were a great addition to the list of characters in these series, and they had no qualms about endearing themselves to me in just one book. 

Now, while I wasn't particularly fond of Mal in the first book, he finally grows on me in this second book, probably because I was able to witness more of him in Siege and Storm. I'll admit there were moments when I wouldn't have minded strangling him and personally dragging him over to Alina so they could talk it out, but even then, I understood him. Alina was purposely keeping him out, and of course given their childhood and past, where they were practically inseparable, that must have been tough.

It's no secret that I've loved the Darkling from the start, not only because he's undeniably attractive and mysterious (although that certainly doesn't hurt), but because I'm actually rooting for him. Call me naïve, but I want to believe there's still hope for him. Someone needs to go and pull him out from that pit of destruction he's so far into.

Alina is as real and fearless as ever, and I'm actually confused as to whether I should be immensely proud of her as she asserts what she knows she wants, or afraid because that's the exact thing that's starting to change her. Honestly, I'm leaning towards the first option. 

Make no mistake, just because I talk relentlessly about the characters doesn't mean I had no appreciation of the plot. I did. I do. Like I said before, there were road bumps I honestly didn't see coming until I was already stumbling over them, and to me, that's endlessly amazing. The volcras' apparent humanity, the nichevo'ya and their creepiness, the weird priest, Morozova's craziness, those reflective dishes, and Genya (dear, dear Genya), just wow. Also, it's almost disconcerting how Leigh Bardugo manages to, in this book, make me want three ships to sail. Three, you hear me? That right there just sets you up for inevitable heartbreak. And here I thought I was used to it. But see that's what's so great about being a reader. You get your heart broken, quite willingly, even, and watch it, sometimes reluctantly, be put back together again.

THE DARK SIDE

I was wishing for more Darkling-Alina moments, just because I find the dynamics of their relationship riveting. But that's just me. They just belong together in my head. Sorry not sorry.

Siege and Storm proves how truly dangerous and addictive power can be, which is especially important in our time. As my Psych professor says, we're the generation that's undergoing the current and radical changes in society today, that we're on the verge of going up or downhill, and it's up to us to decide precisely what kind of world we'd like to see in the future. Siege and Storm shows not only that temptation exists, but also the reality that at times, we fall prey to them. Acknowledgment of this is an acknowledgment of humanity, of our sometimes flawed personalities, but also of the greatness within all of us that desires to ameliorate, much like Alina. Wake me up when Ruin and Rising is in my hands. That is all.

Goodreads

Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

I considered myself lucky because I discovered Legend at a time when the sequel, Prodigy, would be out soon. I thought, "thank heavens I don’t have to wait that long". And I didn’t. I read and devoured every page of Prodigy so quickly that before I knew it, I was done. Guess what? I think I’m not so lucky anymore. I mean, Legend’s ending was bearable, as it was open-ended and there were so many possible plot lines going through my mind. Prodigy, however, is another case entirely. It left me unable to think around one plot line. I mean, I still have no idea where Marie Lu would be taking the story, but I now know one thing. But that’s basically it. After that, I have no idea what’s in store for all of us in Champion.

I liked Legend a lot and so much, that I didn’t think it would be possible for me to go beyond that with this series. But cookies and bananas, I did. I loved Prodigy. It kept up with the hype in Legend and it doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the story line and the developments in the book. Early on in the book we’re given new stuff and details on our plates, so you’re really thrown back into the action as early as the first chapters. This, I loved. Along with the blue font color for Day. Oh, blue, blue. I’m starting to think publishers know of my blue fetish and have started going for it now. It was one of the many things I loved, but it’s not really something to linger on. The font color could’ve been purple or peach or whatever other color and I still would’ve loved the story and the book. At first, when the plan with the Patriots was revealed, I was a bit skeptical as to how the whole book would revolve around it, because it seemed so simple when Razor laid it out. Reading on, however, I realized that so much could happen, so much could go wrong, so much could twist and go another way, in such a short time. A thing, I guess, that Marie Lu manages to do so well in these books. Legend and Prodigy literally give the word—okay, maybe it’s not a word, not really—unputdownable another meaning altogether. It was a bit past noon when I started reading and I just immediately knew I couldn’t—and wouldn’t—sleep until I finished Prodigy. And so I did. I was as awake as ever in the wee hours of the morning, on the edge of my seat, waiting to know what happens next. 

And, like in Legend, what I loved most about this book were the characters. Old and new alike. Old characters were developed and given more depth and new characters gave the plot new and unexpected twists. One thing was different for me though. If Tess was okay for me in the first book, I didn’t particularly like her here in the second. It may have been the time spent away from Day, it could’ve been the influence of the Patriots, but her jealous streak and the way she just blamed June for everything, (granted, she may be blamed IN PART) killed her gentle side. Gentle, nice Tess I could handle, but jealous, bitter, obvious third point of the love triangle Tess was on my wrong side. We’re given Anden too, the new Elector, whom I loved because of his beliefs and because of his determination to change things for the better. He knows it won’t be easy, he knows there’re a lot of people against him, but the fact that he’s trying and trusts June counts for a lot in my book. It was totally believable too, how, despite his attraction to June, his wanting to believe her, there’s this lingering wariness, which of course he couldn’t help. Baxter, Pascao, Kaede. Kaede was just so awesome in this book, flying that jet, landing it and fighting for the good of the Republic. Villains return, new villains arise, and I was surprised yet again by how things turned out. 

Turning to the main characters, June and Day, Day and June. *dramatic sigh* It’s just how I am whenever I think about these two. They’re simply awesome characters who grow and develop so well in Prodigy and take note, Marie Lu manages to keep it going even when they’re apart! They’re apart for the most part of the book, and I didn’t mind because that time apart just further established their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses as individuals, and of course, it just makes the reunion all the more better. (Of course, you’d think that the reunion after a long time should be sweet and teary, but no.) And can we talk about the trust that these two have for each other for a second? The weight and gravity of how they trust each other is just inspiring. You’d think, how could these two 15-year olds, given what they’ve experienced in life, still manage to find someone to trust?

What’s amazing about Prodigy is that it doesn’t only match the standards of Legend, it manages to get better and surpasses it. I mean, hands down, no doubt, I loved Prodigy more than I loved Legend, but a huge part of why I loved it was because of so many factors perfected in Legend. I think the overarching lesson that this book managed to relay, deeper than nothing is what it seems, is that decisions and choices in life aren’t always so stiff. There are other ways, other paths to take, and how we must be open to that, as Day and June were, if we have any hope of surviving in this constantly changing world.

And now that that’s done, excuse me while I crawl into a hole. I’ll come out when Champion gets released. Or maybe in March, with Clockwork Princess. Or April, with The Elite. Or maybe really just February, when school starts again. Who knows?

Goodreads

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

See, once in a while there comes a book that will keep you up at night, that will invade your dreams, that will keep you thinking even in your waking hours until you finish it and tell the world what you thought of it. And this has been my relationship with the Legend series. 

Now that that’s out of the way, I have to admit that one of my favorite things is being pleasantly surprised about how good a book is. I picked up Legend from the library thinking it’ll probably be stiff and technical, given that it’s filed under dystopian/sci fiction. And boy, was I wrong. Given how taken I am with this book and the series, do forgive me if this’ll probably look a bit different from how I usually review books. (I’m thinking this’ll probably look more like an essay of random thoughts than a review, but oh well.) Okay, enough with my ranting and onto the good stuff. 

Legend is one of the best series in YA fiction that I’ve read in a while. Granted, the themes of dystopia are recurring, the oppression of the people and the tight hold of the ruling power, these were all shown in Legend, as in many other dystopian novels. However, what set this book apart is the characters’ switching perspectives in every chapter, which was done elegantly and believably. I mean, I could really tell who was speaking just through the words used in the chapter. (And I know, I know, the chapter starts with the character’s name on top and the font colors alternate as well, but really. Even without those, I’m sure I could’ve still identified whose chapter it was.) And as in some other books, the font colors and faces switch as well, which helps in distinguishing one chapter from the other. (I’m a big fan of books with other font colors besides black so that was an immediate plus for me.)

The plot. Oh my gosh, the plot. Some people say that what’s bad about this book is that it’s predictable and not really different from the plot lines of other dystopian novels. Well, I don’t know if I just haven’t read enough of these dystopian books or what, but this was not the case for me. Like I said, the themes were recurrent, yes, but the plot line was definitely not predictable. I mean, whoa. This book was explosive. I’m going to say that this explosiveness is associated with the fast pacing of the book. So much stuff was tightly packed in 300 or so pages and all these happenings were thrown around me and I couldn’t stop reading for fear that if I close the book things would still happen without me knowing it. You know one thing, and then it turns out they’re all lies and fantasies after a few chapters. This book just seriously kept punching you in the gut with happenings. 

You’d think that would be all. But no, what endeared this book to me the most were the characters, who were relatable and lovable and unforgettable altogether. And I mean, all of them, even Commander Jameson. I mean, you don’t particularly like them, but they’re such believable and evil villains who help the plot go along so you can’t really wish them gone. And while I know in myself that I’m someone who loathes the person who might be the potential third point to a love triangle, I surprised myself by not hating Tess. It wasn’t anything on her own, really, I mean yeah, she’s gentle and nice, but it has more to do with how I sympathize for Day. I was just really glad that he had someone in those years to look out for him when he had no one and was alone in looking out for his family. 

As for the two main protagonists, can I just say that I love them both to their cores? Because I do, really. I’m amazed because I started off with this book not knowing that the main characters were going to be a boy and a girl, I thought they would both be boys who fight side by side and have these awesome action scenes. Turns out they’re boy and girl, and I surprised myself by realizing that even if there wasn’t any romance between them, I still would’ve loved the book. But Marie Lu gives it to me as a bonus, and so now I am gushing and rolling on the floor thinking about this book. And what was so great about these two, was that they meet each other only at like, the half of the book, and I was perfectly okay with that, because by then they were so distinguished in my head as two separate and awesome characters in their own rights. Day, being the most wanted criminal in the Republic (which may not be something to be proud of, but you have to admit, for him to be that famous at 15, that’s just something else. And come on, scaling buildings in short seconds? Jumping from two, three story buildings and surviving? Day is cool. End of discussion.) and June being the darling prodigy of the Republic. I admit I had quite an issue with Day having long hair, and their age seemed a bit unreasonable to me, but hey, it’s the future right? (Maybe teenagers there get forced to mature early due to circumstances. *shrugs*) But aside from that, these two characters just, complement and strengthen each other. They each had their own share of sufferings, and both didn’t have it easy, and I admire their strengths despite everything. June, who is just an absolute genius and who may have been stiff in the beginning, has developed into a kinder, gentler person who’s open-minded and not easily strayed. Day, who has been hardened by the circumstances he’s had in life, but develops the kind of unwavering strength one needs to survive. Apart, they’re amazing, but together they’re unstoppable and greatness combined. 

Legend surprised me by how much managed to happen in such a short span of time. In 300 or so pages, there’s action, there’re awesome character developments, there’s romance that’s just right and not overpowering, there’s an amazing plot line, there’re painful deaths, and there’re lessons learned. Needless to say, the Legend series has become one of my favorite books of all time.

Goodreads

Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is a book that’s been familiar to me for quite a while now. I either hear about it in English class, being mentioned as someone’s favorite book, or read its title in another book, too, as a mandatory read in the characters’ school life. Either way, it’s a book that I’ve always been curious about. I’ve always wondered about it, and the title isn’t anything to go by (unless you read the book), really. So when it turned out to be the next book on my reading list, I was pleased, thinking that after so many contemporary books, finally, I’m going back to an old friend—historical fiction.

Set in 1922, Nicholas ‘Nick’ Carraway is the main narrator in The Great Gatsby. He moves to the East, New York in particular, coming from the Midwest. Living in West Egg, he finds himself a neighbor—a man named Jay Gatsby, who proves to be mysterious. However, unlike Nick, he’s also extremely rich and holds elaborate and fancy parties at his large home. Daisy Buchanan, a cousin of Nick’s, along with her husband Tom and their friend Jordan Baker, gets tangled up into the story in a surprising manner and together they all show the circumstances of living at that particular time.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

The Great Gatsby surprised me, partly because I didn’t suspect at all what the novel was about. So the entire book sort of came as a surprise to me. Another reason would be because it’s only now, as I’m recalling and reflecting on it, do I begin to understand the little details and events that happened in the book. And I always love being pleasantly surprised, so to me that was an immediate plus. Granted, I already had an inkling that I’d like it, because of the setting and because I knew it’s considered to be a literary classic for a reason. I also loved that it showed each character in a realistic light, with all of their flaws and strengths, and that they were written in a manner wherein you understood their characters. Each character was really defined in my head, maybe not based on their physical appearances, but because of their traits and attitudes that were all clearly described in the book not only through the author’s words, but also by the actions of the characters. These characters all come together into the story, and they strengthen each other in the plot. I loved the fact that there were so many things I highlighted, words that were often used back then and not so much now, and lines and phrases that made me think and reflect. Lastly, I admired Nick because in the end, he still saw Gatsby as a great man, although he didn’t necessarily like or admire him. Despite Gatsby’s flaws, Nick managed to see the ambitious man who did all that he could to make the most out of the hand that life dealt him.

THE DARK SIDE

Although it was a short book and I didn’t mind all that much, there were still parts of it that I felt weren’t needed. Like that part wherein Nick listed all the people who came to Gatsby’s party one night, all names and small descriptions about them. There were so many names, and I knew it was to give the impression that the people who came to Gatsby’s parties were many and diverse, but I felt like I didn’t really need the list of all of them, I felt as though the author could’ve made me realize that in a manner that's less lengthy and seemingly boring, and it would still have the same intended effect.

Going back on it now, I’ve come to the realization that The Great Gatsby isn’t so much about the characters, as it is about the society and the circumstances at the time that surrounded and impacted the characters' actions and decisions, their developments and views towards life. It managed to make me see how different and yet still similar life is then and now, there’re still the same underlying factors that influence humanity: ambition, reputation and power. People can sometimes have the purest intentions in the start, but the desire to make something more of themselves can get so overwhelming they’d be willing to use whatever means to reach their ends. But The Great Gatsby goes further and teaches us that in the end, it would be good to remember that we’re all flawed, that there’s always something good in everyone, and at least in that, if not in status and class, we’re all the same.

Goodreads

Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

I was really excited for this book. I mean, who wouldn’t, after reading that blurb from the back cover? It had a nice cover, a nice title, and so I had high expectations for it. Perhaps that was my issue with this book, hence the 3-star rating. I enjoyed it, but not to the point where I was singing about it and longing for it after it was done. 

Perfect Chemistry is quite literal and true to its title. Alex Fuentes, known gang member and Brittany Ellis, the school’s Ms. Perfect are forced to be lab partners in a Chemistry class. At first there’s tension, with both of them firmly believing that it won’t work, what with all their differences according to society, but as they spend time together, they find out that there may be more chemistry to them than they first thought.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

The three stars I gave Perfect Chemistry, I have to admit, were for three good points that I found in the book. The first and major reason why I liked it was because of the book’s underlying theme: being able to break the stereotypes that plague our society these days and proving that despite outer appearances, some of us may be more similar on the inside than we think. I liked the fact that Brittany was able to be true to herself, that she took risks and chances, and that as she went along, she found out that she doesn’t really care about what other people think. Going from Ms. Popular to that, I think her character was developed really well. Second, well of course I liked Alex. His desire to stand up for Brittany, his own change of heart, his love for Paco and his family, his sacrifices, he was really sweet. He tries really hard to show everyone the stereotypical gang member that everyone has pictured in their mind, but his intelligence, kind heart and dedication to the people he loves always shows. Lastly, the third star was for Shelley. She might seem an insignificant character, but to me, she was a major driving force in this book. She was really important to Brittany, and she impacted Brittany’s college choices. And come on, isn’t she just adorable with her checker-playing and hair-pulling? I loved her. 

THE DARK SIDE

It’s not that I didn’t like the plot, for me it was just, typical. It didn’t really have me thinking about what was going to happen next, because I always had an idea. It’s simple, with resolved conflicts and a happy ending, but I just didn’t enjoy it all too much. There were even times in the middle when I got bored, and wanted it to end. *shudders* I know, I know. It was weird and awful for me too, because I was all, “What? Me, bored with a YA book? Me, wanting to just finish it?” It just doesn’t happen all the time. 

So maybe my issues with this book were completely personal. Maybe I just read too much books enough to know what happens next, I don’t know. But in any case, at least I finished it. That counts for something, because at least I was intrigued enough to see how they’d end up together, because I already knew that they would, eventually. 

Goodreads