Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry #2) by Simone Elkeles

Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry #2) by Simone Elkeles
Published April 27th 2010 by Walker Childrens (first published 2010)
Paperback, 326 pages
ISBN: 0802720862 
ISBN13: 9780802720863
url: http://www.perfectchemistrythebook.com/rules-of-attraction.html
Literary awards: Romance Writers of America RITA Award Nominee for Best Young Adult Romance (2011), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction (2010)

Goodreads Summary 

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado. Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn't talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

My Review

This book was just as addictive as Perfect Chemistry. Carlos has the same sarcastic, bad boy personality as Alex did in Perfect Chemistry, which is to be expected since Alex and Carlos are brothers. Like Alex in Perfect Chemistry, Carlos believes that his destiny is set and it doesn't include college or a career. And like Alex, Carlos winds up falling for the most unlikely person.

From the beginning of the novel, Carlos is forced into a situation that is less than ideal for him. After getting into trouble in Mexico and losing his job, he’s sent to Colorado to live with Alex, who’s attending the college. From the time he gets off the plane, Carlos is determined that no matter how many rules Alex tries to enforce or how hard Alex tries to convince him that he could do better than gangs and drugs, he will never be like Alex…at least not the college student Alex who’s in a committed relationship with the rich gringo Brittany. He misses the old Alex, the gang-banger who was tough, dated around, and who listened to no one. This new Alex, Carlos feels, is a sell-out, a want-to-be gringo, who is completely whipped by Brittany. He will never allow that to happen to him.

Underneath his tough exterior, however, there is a softer side to Carlos. For example, his mother and brothers were lead to believe that he was fired from his job in Mexico due to his involvement with a local gang. In reality, he was fired because he stood up to his boss for taking advantage of a 15-year-old female employee. He may be a rebel who doesn't follow rules, but he knows injustice when he sees it. He also has a soft spot when it comes to his mom, who got pregnant and married young, lost her husband in a gang hit when Carlos was 4 and Alex was 6, and who has works multiple jobs in order to support her sons. He gives her a hard time with is rebellious ways, but deep down he wants more than anything to make enough money so she doesn't have to work so hard and to see her smile and laugh like she used to. He loves Alex as well. They may clash a lot in regards to Carlos’ future, but in the end they’re brothers and will always have each other’s back.

Kiara is a quiet, shy girl who loves hiking and cars and who never backs down from a challenge. She comes from an upper class family with a father who is a psychiatry professor at the University and a mother who owns and runs a tea shop. As the novel begins, she was “text dumped” by a guy she dated over the summer and her gay best friend Tucker (b.k.a. “Tuck”) creates the “Rules of Attraction” which lists the great things about Kiara and the things she is looking for in the perfect guy. Being her last year of high school, she has vowed to be more outspoken now that she has gotten her stuttering problem under control. Her vow is tested when she is assigned to be Carlos’ peer guide his first week at Flatiron High School. From the moment he meets her, Carlos is determined to give her such a hard time that she quits before the week is out. Little does he know, he has met his match.

As with Alex and Brittany, Carlos and Kiara are forced together and hate each other at first. Carlos feels that Kiara is not worth his time because she’s white, rich, dresses in baggy clothes and doesn't immediately fall for his charm and good looks. Kiara feels that Carlos is mean with a huge chip on his shoulder and nothing but trouble. They play a couple of pranks on each other in a means to intimidate each other. The more time they spend together, the more they find themselves thinking about each other and slowly becoming attracted to each other. As time goes on, Kiara starts to see the nicer sides of Carlos and the more she learns about him, the more she feels for him. Carlos likes that Kiara seems to handle everything he throws at her and is crafty enough to fight back.

There is some action and violence towards the end of this novel, but not as much as there was in the Perfect Chemistry. Also like Perfect Chemistry, there are some minor sexual situations, so it may not be suitable for anyone under the age of 16.

I recommend anyone who likes romantic, realistic, contemporary fiction. I will definitely be reading the last book in the series, Chain Reaction, which tells the story of the youngest Fuentes brother, Luis.

Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1) by Simone Elkeles

  

Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1) by Simone Elkeles

Paperback, 359 pages

Published: December 23rd 2008 by Walker Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 0802798225 
ISBN13: 9780802798220

url: http://www.perfectchemistrythebook.com/

literary awards: Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance (2010), An ALA/YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers for Top Ten (2010), Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee (2011), Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2011)

Goodreads Summary

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

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. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

My Review

Out of all the YA novels I have read in the past year, this book was the most contemporary. It is most likely because the majority of YA novels I read are apocalyptic, dystopian, paranormal or supernatural. This is the first book in a long time that involved situations and issues that can, and do, occur in our society; issues of turfs, cliques, gangs, popularity, wealth, poverty, and race. This story could easily be a story of teens in your own city or state. It can be compared to many movies such as West Side Story and Pretty in Pink. It is definitely a modern day Romeo and Juliet. 

This book is another alternating POV story, told through the eyes of the “star-crossed lovers” Brittany and Alex. Brittany is the blond, blue-eyed cheerleader from a wealthy family. On the surface Brittany has the perfect life, but what most don’t know is that her life is far from it. Her 20 year old  sister, Shelley, is mentally and physically disabled and in need of constant care; her mother, unable to handle Shelley’s imperfection, is always concerned about appearances, and criticizes Brittany constantly; and her dad works constantly and is totally disconnected from his family when he is home. Alex is the son of Mexican immigrants, whose father was murdered before his eyes when he was young, and is the man of the house for his mother and two younger brothers. He is a member of the Latin Blood gang, is no stranger to trouble, and has a reputation for being dangerous. Alex is also very smart and is only part of the Blood to protect his family. He actually wants to go to college and have a better life and he tries hard to keep his brothers from becoming members of the Blood. 

The alternating POVs help us see both how different Alex and Brittany’s worlds are and how they are very similar. They both put on an act for everyone and do exactly what is expected of them even though what they really want is to be who they are. Alex wants to have a better life that includes college but feels it’s beyond his reach because of where he comes from. Brittany wants more than anything to be herself and make mistakes without having to feel like she’s letting her parents down by doing it. It is only when they are able to reveal these truths to each other that they fall for each other. Alex is relieved to find out that even though Brittany comes from wealth her family has problems too. Brittany is comforted by the fact that Alex puts on as much of show for everyone as she does and that there is more to him than his gang reputation, particularly that he doesn't want to be in the gang and wants more from his life. Brittany also likes how close Alex’s family is and that his mother cares so much for him. 

Their love for each other comes with consequences. Both Alex and Brittany’s family and friends are against their union. On Alex’s side, they feel that he’s  selling out by dating Brittany and that he will never live up to her expectations because he’s Mexican, member of the Blood, and didn't come from money. Brittany’s friends and family, however, feel that she’s disgracing herself by dating someone so beneath her and fear that she will end up in trouble because of his association with the Blood. What neither side realizes is that they love each other because they learned that there is more too them than outside appearances and stereotypes. 

I loved every second reading this book. It included a good amount of heartwarming and romantic scenes, as well as some action. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to read a realistic, contemporary YA novel. It is very well written and incorporates both cultures, especially the use of simple Spanish words. There are two more books within the series, Rule of Attraction and Chain Reaction, which tell similar stories about Alex’s brothers. I plan to read both in the future and will provide a review of them.