READING : Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Brittany Ellis seems to have it all:wealthy parents, the perfect boyfriend and the "right" group of friends.But when Brittany if forced to become lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the wrong side of town, her perfect life starts to unravel.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.Bus as Alex and Brittany grow closer, sparks begin to fly and they both realise that sometimes appearances can be deceptive.Will their emerging feelings be enough to keep them together when the world is determined to tear them apart?

To say that I loved this book, would probably be the understatement of the year.But I'll go right ahead and say it anyway : I completely and utterly loved this book!!!

There was not the slightest blemish in Elkeles's story and characters.

She(Brittany)-is one of the very few female book characters I like.I like her because she had the courage to admit that she was so unhappy and lonely in her life, even though she seemed to have it all.I like her because of the way she loved and cared for her sister.I like her because she didn't fall into bad boy's arms right from the beginning, thus staying true to herself and not doing something completely out of character.In fact, at the beginning she seems genuinely displeased to be near him in class.I loved that she was Brittany Ellis, from the very start to the every end.

He(Alex)-I like him because he was loving and caring.I like him because he was tough and crude.I like him because he gave up everything to be with the woman he loves.I like him because of the way he cared for her friends, even though he had no obligation to.I like him because he sacrificed himself at a very young age to protect his family.I like him because he is a bad boy.I like him in spite of that.

This is the first book I've read by Elkeles, and I must say that her writing blew me away!I was sad every time I had to put the book down and I was ecstatic when I picked it up again.The narration alternates between Alex's and Brittany's POVs, something I always like in books as it makes writing more fluid and reading more interesting and fun.But what I love most about Elkeles's story is that she wrote about a love so perfect and unique,deriving from BOTH Brittany's and Alex's personal sacrifices.In most books, you see the guy sacrificing everything to be with the girl, to love her and protect her,and she just stands there waiting for it,doing nothing to deserve it.In Perfect Chemistry both Brittany and Alex fought tooth and nail to be together, even if that meant giving up their lives fot it.They wanted it so bad and they did everything in their power to keep it.That was what made this book so amazing:describing a type of love that is never simple and easy,but a love so passionate and strong you'd give your life to keep from dying.

Perfect Chemistry is the best non supernatural YA book of 2010 for me so far.Absolutely brilliant!

One useful tip:read it!!!!

6/5