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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Perfect Chemistry was one of those books that I saw around a lot on Goodreads but never sat down and read it. When I went on vacation I wanted a series that I could devour throughout the week, and thought Perfect Chemistry was the perfect candidate. I’m so happy I did. I love all the books in this series, and Alex’s story was the perfect beginning.
You learn pretty quickly that Brittany isn’t your typical “rich girl”. She has a very tough home life and has pretty much unbearable parents. Besides seeming as if she is “one of those girl”, you know the girls that have everything, she’s actually pretty relatable. You get to see the real Brittany, the person she is when all eyes aren’t on her, when she is with her sister. These moments were some of my favorites throughout the whole book, and I loved that Simone mentions their relationship throughout the series.
Alejandro “Alex” Fuentas is the epitome of the term “bad boy”. I would say that 95% of the “bad boys” in YA don’t hold a torch to Alex. He pretty much does what he wants, when he wants, and always gets what he wants. What he wasn’t expecting was to want Brittany, the exact opposite of who he should be with. I adored Alex. Yea, he’s a little rough around the edges, but he loves with everything he is. Sometimes he makes really bad decisions, but love is what usually drives those actions.
In my opinion, the best thing about Brittany and Alex’s relationship is the build up. I love all those moments when they are suppose to hate each other, but start to realize that there is chemistry there. Their relationship is real, and hard. Nothing comes easy for them, and that’s probably why it’s so special.
I have very few complaints about Perfect Chemistry but one of them is that the ending felt rushed. And because of the quick ending I feel like Brittany’s relationship with her parents is never resolved. There was so much more there to flush out, but we never get that. Besides these few issues, Perfect Chemistry is a great book, and a great start to this series. Believe me, once you read about the Fuentas brother you can’t wait to read more
You learn pretty quickly that Brittany isn’t your typical “rich girl”. She has a very tough home life and has pretty much unbearable parents. Besides seeming as if she is “one of those girl”, you know the girls that have everything, she’s actually pretty relatable. You get to see the real Brittany, the person she is when all eyes aren’t on her, when she is with her sister. These moments were some of my favorites throughout the whole book, and I loved that Simone mentions their relationship throughout the series.
Alejandro “Alex” Fuentas is the epitome of the term “bad boy”. I would say that 95% of the “bad boys” in YA don’t hold a torch to Alex. He pretty much does what he wants, when he wants, and always gets what he wants. What he wasn’t expecting was to want Brittany, the exact opposite of who he should be with. I adored Alex. Yea, he’s a little rough around the edges, but he loves with everything he is. Sometimes he makes really bad decisions, but love is what usually drives those actions.
In my opinion, the best thing about Brittany and Alex’s relationship is the build up. I love all those moments when they are suppose to hate each other, but start to realize that there is chemistry there. Their relationship is real, and hard. Nothing comes easy for them, and that’s probably why it’s so special.
I have very few complaints about Perfect Chemistry but one of them is that the ending felt rushed. And because of the quick ending I feel like Brittany’s relationship with her parents is never resolved. There was so much more there to flush out, but we never get that. Besides these few issues, Perfect Chemistry is a great book, and a great start to this series. Believe me, once you read about the Fuentas brother you can’t wait to read more
My roommate was adamant that I needed to read this book. And I'm pleased to say she was right. I can see why this was an important novel when she was beginning her journey of reading in her teen years.
This is a classic addition to YA romance. Star-crossed lovers from opposite sides of the tracks. This is a great story centered around learning how to grow up and navigate the confusing and sometimes dangerous world we live in. While the main romance isn't always perfect, it does a good job at showing the tumultuous roller coaster ride that can happen when teenagers are beginning to learn what romantic love can be like.
By many standards, it reads as pretty cliche. But when it was published in 2009, it would've been so engaging and novel for readers.
This story contains spice and suspense, which keeps you hanging on.
This is a classic addition to YA romance. Star-crossed lovers from opposite sides of the tracks. This is a great story centered around learning how to grow up and navigate the confusing and sometimes dangerous world we live in. While the main romance isn't always perfect, it does a good job at showing the tumultuous roller coaster ride that can happen when teenagers are beginning to learn what romantic love can be like.
By many standards, it reads as pretty cliche. But when it was published in 2009, it would've been so engaging and novel for readers.
This story contains spice and suspense, which keeps you hanging on.
Well this is a hard one. One one hand, I liked it. On the other - I'm biased. Because, if I'm totally honest, it feels like the bastard love child of two movies VERY dear to my heart - 
and 
. And a poor imitation at that.
Quick synopsis of Keith: The storyline is based around a popular 17-year-old high school senior, Natalie, who thinks she has got life figured out, until she meets Keith. Natalie is at first annoyed by her new chemistry class lab partner, but she ultimately falls for him and discovers that Keith is hiding a secret, with tragic results.
Quick synopsis of Crazy/Beautiful: Nicole Oakley, the spoiled, rich, out-of-control daughter of congressman Tom Oakley, meets a working class Mexican-American straight-A student, Carlos Nuñez, resulting in a clash of cultures, values, and a love affair.
It's not an exact match, but it's actually way too close for me.
But as to the actual story - it was only okay. I didn't really like Brittany. I just didn't. Yes, she was a good person with very admiable struggles. But I didn't like the way she treated people who weren't Alex or her sister. I did very much respect Alex, however. I really felt where he was coming from. I just felt when it came to the two of them he just did more. She didn't fight for him as much as he did for her.
Anyway, I won't be continuing the series. Felt like a ripoff....
_________
Then there was the narrators. I think the one thing that threw me off about this audiobook were the two different narrators. Not because there were two voices because that has been done brillantly in other instances like Emma Galvin and Keith Nobbs for Kresley Cole's Poison Princess (when they spoke for the same character, it felt the same). What didn't work for me was ended up with two distinctive voices/perspectives for Alex and Britney. For Brittney, Roxanne Hernandez was more age-appropriate and felt more autentic; Blas Kisic made her sound flightly and ditzy. Then, for Alex, Roxanne Hernandez played him also more authentic - mischevious when needed and serious when needed, Blas Kisic played him very mature. Like "already in his twenties" mature.
While I did prefer the Blas Kisic's authenticity of Alex's Hispanic heritage, I did not like the ditziness of his protrayal of Britney. Both characters went through a lot of self discovery and were confused most of the time, but neither seemed as aloof or unsure as he made Britney. He also felt too old for Alex.
and . And a poor imitation at that. Quick synopsis of Keith: The storyline is based around a popular 17-year-old high school senior, Natalie, who thinks she has got life figured out, until she meets Keith. Natalie is at first annoyed by her new chemistry class lab partner, but she ultimately falls for him and discovers that Keith is hiding a secret, with tragic results.
Quick synopsis of Crazy/Beautiful: Nicole Oakley, the spoiled, rich, out-of-control daughter of congressman Tom Oakley, meets a working class Mexican-American straight-A student, Carlos Nuñez, resulting in a clash of cultures, values, and a love affair.
It's not an exact match, but it's actually way too close for me.
But as to the actual story - it was only okay. I didn't really like Brittany. I just didn't. Yes, she was a good person with very admiable struggles. But I didn't like the way she treated people who weren't Alex or her sister. I did very much respect Alex, however. I really felt where he was coming from. I just felt when it came to the two of them he just did more. She didn't fight for him as much as he did for her.
Anyway, I won't be continuing the series. Felt like a ripoff....
_________
Then there was the narrators. I think the one thing that threw me off about this audiobook were the two different narrators. Not because there were two voices because that has been done brillantly in other instances like Emma Galvin and Keith Nobbs for Kresley Cole's Poison Princess (when they spoke for the same character, it felt the same). What didn't work for me was ended up with two distinctive voices/perspectives for Alex and Britney. For Brittney, Roxanne Hernandez was more age-appropriate and felt more autentic; Blas Kisic made her sound flightly and ditzy. Then, for Alex, Roxanne Hernandez played him also more authentic - mischevious when needed and serious when needed, Blas Kisic played him very mature. Like "already in his twenties" mature.
While I did prefer the Blas Kisic's authenticity of Alex's Hispanic heritage, I did not like the ditziness of his protrayal of Britney. Both characters went through a lot of self discovery and were confused most of the time, but neither seemed as aloof or unsure as he made Britney. He also felt too old for Alex.
This book had me crying and happy at the same time I don't thing I've ever read a book this good in a while. I loved the character growth and the ending.
i had to do a re-run of my favorite book from back in the day! the romance, the drama...this had some real-life problems that the main characters had for their teen years, and it was crazy! loved it & the plot!
I feel in love with these series the moment I read the first page!
I am so glad I finally read this. I thought the storyline was good, I liked the alternating chapters. I didn't really like alex in the beginning but then you realize that hes not so bad, he does make some bad choices but he makes up for it in the end. I also felt so bad about what happened to him. I highly highly recommend this book :)
This was a fun and light read, definitely DEFINITELY not something to take seriously (hey, it's a high school YA novel after all). Rather than roll my eyes, I embraced all the cuteness and just enjoyed the fantasy romance of a mis-matched pair of high school kids.
It was really the characters in this book that kept things on point - Alex and Brittany have problems, opinions, lives, and dreams that make them relatable and I really did like them. I was definitely rooting for them (or do I "ship" them? Is that what the kids say these days? Whatever).
Recommended as a light read for fans of star-crossed romance, bad boys with heart, and girls who know how to stand up for themselves.
It was really the characters in this book that kept things on point - Alex and Brittany have problems, opinions, lives, and dreams that make them relatable and I really did like them. I was definitely rooting for them (or do I "ship" them? Is that what the kids say these days? Whatever).
Recommended as a light read for fans of star-crossed romance, bad boys with heart, and girls who know how to stand up for themselves.
Not my usual stomping grounds in terms of genre, but I’m trying to branch out and read stuff I wouldn’t normally read this year.
That said, I enjoyed this more than I expected. Alex and Brittany are simultaneously what you do and don’t expect of them. They portray the roles they would have portrayed when I was in high school. Yet, underneath all that, they are real people with real problems—much as I expect the kids in high school would have been had I not been too shy to speak to any of them.
The dialogue is quick and witty, but it’s also serious where it’s called for. The situations Brit and Alex got themselves into—both the personal and social—were realistic. Brit’s concern for Alex’s gang life really came through, and by the end, it was clear Alex wanted to be more like the image of success Brit’s life portrayed.
It was nice to see the resolution with each kid’s family too. Even more, it was nice to see Brit’s family accept Alex and Alex’s accept Brit.
A solid 4 stars, and I’m looking forward to checking out the rest of this series.
That said, I enjoyed this more than I expected. Alex and Brittany are simultaneously what you do and don’t expect of them. They portray the roles they would have portrayed when I was in high school. Yet, underneath all that, they are real people with real problems—much as I expect the kids in high school would have been had I not been too shy to speak to any of them.
The dialogue is quick and witty, but it’s also serious where it’s called for. The situations Brit and Alex got themselves into—both the personal and social—were realistic. Brit’s concern for Alex’s gang life really came through, and by the end, it was clear Alex wanted to be more like the image of success Brit’s life portrayed.
It was nice to see the resolution with each kid’s family too. Even more, it was nice to see Brit’s family accept Alex and Alex’s accept Brit.
A solid 4 stars, and I’m looking forward to checking out the rest of this series.
Have we all read this story before (in one form or another)? Yes.
Did it have faults? Yes.
Did I love it despite of both of these things? Yes.
I devoured this book. I could barely put it down.
Did it have faults? Yes.
Did I love it despite of both of these things? Yes.
I devoured this book. I could barely put it down.