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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
I literally got 10 minutes into the audiobook and I could already tell how cliche it was going to be.
I can't cope with the, "I'm rich but life is horrible" trope. Everyone has shit going on, yours isn't special cause u have money.
I can't cope with the, "I'm rich but life is horrible" trope. Everyone has shit going on, yours isn't special cause u have money.
SPOILERS AHEAD
To give this book some credit, it was not as bad as I expected. That is to say, it's not as bad as Beautiful Disaster which is the standard I now compare all these sorts of romance books to. Having said that, boy is this book one steaming pile of clichés.
Brittany is your typical blonde girl perfectionist, Alex is your typical bad boy Mexican gang member. They get the hots for each other, they fight, they finally get together, some ridiculous conflict gets in the way...there's nothing new here is what I'm saying. But on the whole, it was marginally better than the worst I've seen of these bad boy books. So what didn't I like?
1) The romance-Okay, this might seem a bit obvious at first. But what I mean is, unlike some examples the courting of these two star-crossed teens is actually okay. There's no stalking (just mild kidnapping), boundaries are respected and they don't even kiss for like a 100 pages. But the second these two get together it all falls apart. Literally, for the two or three chapters they're 'happy' before the standard conflict kicks in, all they do is fight and prove how different they are. How I'm supposed to think they have a happy future is beyond me but thank god for the epilogue to prove me wrong!
2) The epilogue-Alright, the kid thing was cute if not entirely clichéd. I'm talking more about the fact they went to the same college and both decided to take Chemistry and then developed a not-quite-cure for Alzheimer's, presumably together. Because you know, the book went to such lengths to show us how much they love and are dedicated to that subject. Also GET IT THEY HAVE CHEMISTRY LOL
3) ALL THE GRATUITOUS SPANISH.
Yes, Alex is Mexican. We get it, Mexicans are hot. But literally, every scene with them has so much Spanish sprinkled around that it feels like burritos are being jammed down my throat as I read it
4) The 'mystery' of Alex's father's death-Because it was so obvious.
All in all, this book has some nice elements. I liked Brittany's sister and I think she added an element not usually explored in YA fiction. Also unlike some romances, there were actually quite a lot of prominent side characters and the main characters definitely had a life outside their relationship. If you like this genre then you could do far worse than this book. If not, well you're probably not going to read it anyway
Overall Score: 3
What Everyone Else is Reading
To give this book some credit, it was not as bad as I expected. That is to say, it's not as bad as Beautiful Disaster which is the standard I now compare all these sorts of romance books to. Having said that, boy is this book one steaming pile of clichés.
Brittany is your typical blonde girl perfectionist, Alex is your typical bad boy Mexican gang member. They get the hots for each other, they fight, they finally get together, some ridiculous conflict gets in the way...there's nothing new here is what I'm saying. But on the whole, it was marginally better than the worst I've seen of these bad boy books. So what didn't I like?
1) The romance-Okay, this might seem a bit obvious at first. But what I mean is, unlike some examples the courting of these two star-crossed teens is actually okay. There's no stalking (just mild kidnapping), boundaries are respected and they don't even kiss for like a 100 pages. But the second these two get together it all falls apart. Literally, for the two or three chapters they're 'happy' before the standard conflict kicks in, all they do is fight and prove how different they are. How I'm supposed to think they have a happy future is beyond me but thank god for the epilogue to prove me wrong!
2) The epilogue-Alright, the kid thing was cute if not entirely clichéd. I'm talking more about the fact they went to the same college and both decided to take Chemistry and then developed a not-quite-cure for Alzheimer's, presumably together. Because you know, the book went to such lengths to show us how much they love and are dedicated to that subject. Also GET IT THEY HAVE CHEMISTRY LOL
3) ALL THE GRATUITOUS SPANISH.
Yes, Alex is Mexican. We get it, Mexicans are hot. But literally, every scene with them has so much Spanish sprinkled around that it feels like burritos are being jammed down my throat as I read it
4) The 'mystery' of Alex's father's death-Because it was so obvious.
All in all, this book has some nice elements. I liked Brittany's sister and I think she added an element not usually explored in YA fiction. Also unlike some romances, there were actually quite a lot of prominent side characters and the main characters definitely had a life outside their relationship. If you like this genre then you could do far worse than this book. If not, well you're probably not going to read it anyway
Overall Score: 3
What Everyone Else is Reading
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A great teen romance book -- not exactly realistic, but it works for a lazy-day read.
More importantly, spineless choice on the part of the publishing company with that cover -- what gang banger's ink is a star and a tribal tat?
More importantly, spineless choice on the part of the publishing company with that cover -- what gang banger's ink is a star and a tribal tat?
4.5 of 5 stars
A story too much real and a clear message for the society. Alex and Brit are two students of the same school yet they belong on a different social ladder. Despite their differences they manage to fall in love and change each other. I liked the POV's and their way of thinking, even if Alex's in some points was wrong but the ending was amazing!
A story too much real and a clear message for the society. Alex and Brit are two students of the same school yet they belong on a different social ladder. Despite their differences they manage to fall in love and change each other. I liked the POV's and their way of thinking, even if Alex's in some points was wrong but the ending was amazing!
emotional
inspiring
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Rating: 5 Stars.
Steam: 4 out of 10, hot makeouts scenes but fade to black in sex scene.
Triggers:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
I love this book, I read this for the first time 10+ years ago, the feelings are all here, i will be honest, I don't know if I would give this 5 stars if I was reading this for the first time today but I just love simone elkeles books, it's so amazing to me how she can make the touch of a hand seem more intimate and mean more than full blown sex scenes by other authors. This is what you get with her books, intimacy in the smallest things.
If you're looking for a YA romance that's not full of smut and insta love (although they do lust for each other earlier on but nothing happen besides thoughts).
Perfect chemistry walked so punk 57 could run, I said what I said
Steam: 4 out of 10, hot makeouts scenes but fade to black in sex scene.
Triggers:
Spoiler
ViolenceLove Triangle:
Spoiler
Yes but the other guy did had a shotCheating:
Spoiler
not between the main mcsHEA:
Spoiler
YesI love this book, I read this for the first time 10+ years ago, the feelings are all here, i will be honest, I don't know if I would give this 5 stars if I was reading this for the first time today but I just love simone elkeles books, it's so amazing to me how she can make the touch of a hand seem more intimate and mean more than full blown sex scenes by other authors. This is what you get with her books, intimacy in the smallest things.
If you're looking for a YA romance that's not full of smut and insta love (although they do lust for each other earlier on but nothing happen besides thoughts).
Perfect chemistry walked so punk 57 could run, I said what I said
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pretty sure this is (at least) my third time reading this, and I'm already looking forward to my next reread in a couple years
I didn't know I was in the mood for a love story until I started reading this book. Elkeles has created a modern tale of forbidden love between Alex Fuentes, an intelligent gang member, and Brittany Ellis, a beautiful and wealthy highschool senior who is controlled by her brand-conscious, reputation-protecting mother. When the two are paired for a course assignment, they soon realize that they have far more in common that they thought...The two characters are strong in personality and it is an indulgent pleasure to watch them flirt and weave their way into a shocking relationship.