Title: Chain Reaction

 

Author: Simone Elkeles

 

Series: Perfect Chemistry, #3

 

 

My rating: 4 of 5

 

 

(Book read on July 7th, 2013.)

 

 

Summary:

  

 

Like his brothers, Luis Fuentes is a risk taker; whether he's scaling the Rocky Mountains or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis is always looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by certain rules ― don't trust a boy who says "I love you", boys lie to get their own way and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Then she meets Luis at his brother Alex's wedding and suddenly she's tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to give him a chance is Luis's biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by the head of the gang that nearly destroyed his brothers' lives. Will Luis's feelings for Nikki be enough to stop him from entering a dark and violent world that could prove to be the ultimate risk?

 

 

My Thoughts on the Book:

  

 

Chain Reaction is the last book in the Perfect Chemistry trilogy, featuring the last Fuentes brother, Luis. I was excited about reading this one, especially after starting it, because my expectations became bigger, because I loved Luis from the start & the first meeting between Luis & Nikki was absolutely hilarious. They meet at Alex's wedding, and the wedding was lots of fun, too. I loved seeing Alex, Carlos, Kiara & Brittany again!

 

After that, Nikki & Luis meet again after a little over 2 years later, when Luis moves back to Chicago. 

 

I have to admit that although I still enjoyed a lot this book, just wasn't as great as the previous 2 books in the series. But, I absolutely loved all the scenes with the rest of the Fuentes family.

 

As for the characters, as I said, at first I loved Luis, he's fun, really smart, he has this big dream & plan he wants to accomplish in his life, but then suddenly, after learning something (ok, it was a big thing, but still) he decides to throw it all away, just like that. I wanted to understand it, but it was just too big of a change for someone supposedly really smart. I'll say it, it was stupid. So, yeah, I liked him as a character, but that was all.

 

As for Nikki, I kinda liked her, too. I could understand her, she really goes through something sad & heartbreaking when she was only 15 (I'm talking about the consequences she was left with), but she tried to have some fun, despite staying away from boys.

 

As for the chemistry & the attraction between Luis & Nikki - that was absolutely there. But, to be honest, I just didn't feel the love. They were hiding so many secrets from each other through most of the book, and except for the great chemistry, I just didn't saw why exactly they had fallen in love.

 

The gang theme was bigger here, and I definitely didn't expect that revelation & that ending, but overall it was interesting, although I still think Luis acted stupid.

 

Also, I have to mention the epilogue. I loved the part with Luis Jr. It was hilarious, yet sweet, so I totally loved it :D It's actually one of my fav parts in the book, as well as all the scenes with the whole Fuentes family.

 

Chain Reaction is a great finale to this great trilogy, that wraps up everyone's stories quite nicely, and I can't recommend enough this trilogy to every fan of YA contemporary!

   

Challenges:

2013 TBR Pile Challenge

2013 Books-In-A-Series Reading Challenge

Don't Let It End Reading Challenge

Title: Rules of Attraction

Author: Simone Elkeles

Series: Perfect Chemistry, #2

My rating: 5 of 5

(Book read from June 19th to June 20th, 2013.)

Summary:

 

 

Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path-just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.

When Alex arranges for Carlos to live with his former professor and his family to keep him from being sent to jail, Carlos feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

As the danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?

 

My Thoughts on the Book: 

 

    

I read Perfect Chemistry over 3 years ago, and I've wanted to read Alex's brothers' stories since then, but I never got around to them until now :) And what did I thought of Rules of Attraction? Well, I was pleasantly surprised, it was just lovely. I rarely use that word for a book, but lovely is the word that sums up Rules of Attraction for me :)

First, lets talk about the characters. I absolutely loved Kiara. She's definitely not your typical heroine, the way she dress, what she wants to do in her free time, she even has a stutter, but she's also really fun character, and she made me laugh more than once through the book :)

And not to forger her best friend - Tuck! I just laugh just thinking about him. He was hilarious, and I loved that he was part of the story. He's a great best friend to Kiara, and I loved when he was teasing Carlos :D

And then there's Carlos. I really, really liked him as a character. He was funny also, and a bad boy, but he actually has a good heart. 

 

As for the chemistry between Carlos & Kiara - it was indeed perfect. I absolutely loved the interactions between them, they were both laugh-out-loud funny, yet sweet, and lots of fun. The pacing of their growing attraction was done perfectly, and I could totally understand why they were falling for each other, and I totally loved every second of that. So, yeah, it was just so, so lovely.

As for the ending, it might have been a little bit rushed, although I really didn't mind. I actually loved that this was more a love story about Carlos & Kiara, than a gang-related story, although that theme was present as well.

I was really surprised by how much I loved this story. I guess I've been a little bit reluctant about reading it, that's why I kept postponing it, because I though I won't enjoy it as much as Simone Elkeles's Leaving Paradise duology & Perfect Chemistry, but I was wrong. It was unexpectedly lovely, so I can't recommend this novel enough. I absolutely loved it, it's now one of my favs, and it made me eager to pick up Luis' story Chain Reaction, as well as to want to re-read Perfect Chemistry.

 

Challenges:

2013 TBR Pile Challenge

2013 Books-In-A-Series Reading Challenge

 

Summary:

Maggie and Caleb just went through the worst year of their lives. Hit by a car and starting life over with a limp, Maggie never thought she would forgive Caleb. But she did - and fell in love. What they shared was real. But Caleb wanted to be free from the past-and a terrible secret: he wasn't the one who hit Maggie. So he left Paradise - and Maggie - forever.

When Maggie and Caleb run into each other in a different town, they can't deny their true feelings. Will Maggie let Caleb get away again? Or will Caleb face the truth and return to Paradise? 

My rating: 5 of 5

My thoughts on the book:

I loved Leaving Paradise & I loved this one, too! Great sequel & it wrapped-up Maggie's & Caleb's story really good! Their chemistry was still there & I enjoyed their interactions! If you enjoyed Leaving Paradise, I think you'll enjoy this one, too! I recommend it!

Challenges:

• Finish That Series Challenge 2010
• The 2010 YA Reading Challenge
• 100+ Reading Challenge 2010
• The Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2010 (Muggle Studies) 
• Fall Into Reading 2010 
• Monthly Mixer Mele

Summary:

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad - her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares - has been canceled.After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb's free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers. Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It's a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

My thoughts on the book:

I loved this book! It's one of my top reads this year & definitely now is one of my favorites! I just can't express how much I love this book! It was a nice surprise! This is the second book by Simone Elkeles that I've read & although I loved Perfect Chemistry, I love this one 10 times more! I loved the story, I loved the characters, loved the ending, loved everything about it! I recommend it a lot & I just can't wait for the sequel!

My rating: 5/5

Finished: 6 May 2010

Challenges:

• The 2010 YA Reading Challenge
• 1st in a Series Challenge 2010
• The Countdown Challenge
• 100+ Reading Challenge 2010
• The Four Month Challenge, Part 3!
• The Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2010 (Muggle Studies)
• Romance Reading Challenge 2010

Summary:

At Fairfield High, everyone knows that south siders and north siders aren’t exactly compatible elements. So when cheerleader Brittany Ellis and gang member Alex Fuentes are forced to be lab partners, the results are bound to be explosive.

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?

My thoughts on the book:

First of all, I have to say that I didn't expect to love this book so much! I kept reading awesome reviews, but I was a little reserved, so I'm glad to say that the book doesn't disappoint! It's great YA romance & it deserves every praise! As I kept reading, I just loved the characters more & more! This was the first book by Simone Elkeles that I read & it's not going to be the last!

My rating: 5/5

Finished: 5 May 2010

Challenges:

• The 2010 YA Reading Challenge
• 100+ Reading Challenge 2010
• The Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2010: Perfect Mini Challenge (Potions)
• Romance Reading Challenge 2010
• New Authors Reading Challenge 2010
• The Four Month Challenge, Part 3!