Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

5/5 stars. If I could give it more stars, I would.

Ages 15 and up.





At Fairfield High School, on the outskirts of Chicago, everyone knows that 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?

Wow. This book was really really good. Intensely good. When I finished it, I wished it wasn't over yet, and wanted to re-read it right away. If you like romance, you will like this book. There were so many reasons why this book falls into the category of  one of the best romances I've ever read. My absolute favorite kind of romance story is when hate turns to love, and all the verbal sparring and denial of feelings that go along with it. It makes it so fun to read! This book had all that, and was also well-written with multi-dimensional characters.
I really enjoyed the 2 character viewpoint in this book. Every other chapter was from Brittany, then Alex's perspective. I now officially have a huge crush on Alex Fuentes. I want to ride on his motorcycle with him, and see him at Enrique's Auto Body, working on cars, and "looking more masculine than any guy I've ever seen", as Brittany says. Yep, Alex is a stone cold fox.
I liked the fact that Brittany cared so much about her special needs sister that she was willing to go wherever her sister was, and be there for her. I think the book sends a really good message to teens about love for family and sacrifice. Alex is also in a similar situation with his family, but in his case he will do anything to protect them from the violence and gangs in his neighborhood.
Overall, just read this book! I can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy, Rules of Attraction.

A big thank you to Sandy for letting me borrow this book! Now I need to buy my own copy.

Coming Soon...

This is my first review for our blog! I’m really excited about this book that I just finished the advance reading copy for, but I don’t want to give too much of the plot away. Here we go...

Matched by Ally Condie

Release date: November 30, 2010

5/5 Stars

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.


The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow. (from the publisher)

This book captivated me. One of my favorite genres is dystopian fiction, and Matched (along with its hinted at sequels) is a welcome addition to this growing family of titles. Much like another favorite of mine, The Hunger Games, Matched is set in a not too distant future where a dictatorship-like government has complete control over the lives of its citizens. Everything in Cassia’s life has been predetermined: who she’ll love and marry, her future career, and when she’ll die has been calculated by the Society. However, when Cassia glimpses a different path she begins to question whether The Society really has her best interests at heart.


Condie does a tremendous job building a world that is not only believable, but terrifying in its prospects. Almost all remnants of the past have been destroyed by the Society and people are only allowed to view the approved lists of 100 books, songs, paintings, poems, histories and so on.  Their diets, free-time, and social interactions are tightly regimented and ever-present Officials are always there to make sure that peace and order is kept. However, it’s obvious from the start that all is not as idyllic as it might appear and Cassia has only pulled at one thread of a slowly unraveling sweater.


Matched will keep you on the edge of your seat, but in a different way than the action and violence of The Hunger Games did. There are a couple of different audiences who will love this book. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of other dystopian novels, such as the Uglies series, Fahrenheit 451, or The Giver. I also think that the romance storyline is strong enough to attract readers from the Twilight series. Be on the lookout for this one when it hits the shelves at the end of November!

~Erin~