Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

I've said this before but it bears repeating: Simone Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry novels are pure bookcrack to me: fast-paced, tension-filled and utterly entertaining. I cannot begin to tell you how much I have been dying to get my hands on her latest book, Chain Reaction, which follows the youngest Fuentes brother, Luis. Especially since I was able to meet the hilarious Ms. Elkeles at the RT Book Fair last April. She mentioned then that she had set up Luis as a good boy who falls for a 'bad' girl - and I have been anxiously awaiting the story ever since.

As the youngest of three brothers Luis Fuentes knows what he wants in life: to someday work for NASA as an aerospace engineer. Which means he's got to work hard at school and stay far, far away from any kind of trouble like his two brothers got into. Luis is all set to see his dream come true when his mother decides to move back to Fairfield, Illinois which means Luis is now surrounded by memories of his past - and the Latino Blood gang. Also there to distract Luis is the prickly Nikki Cruz who, despite her Mexican heritage, wants absolutely nothing to do any guy from the south side of Fairfield - especially Luis.

Oh Luis! How I was hoping to fall for your story! Instead, I came away from Chain Reaction feeling as if the book had only been half-way written. Like I had ended up with the cliff notes version. It's almost as if in the midst of all the family secrets revealed, dangerous gang fights, and tying up of loose ends that Ms. Elkeles forgot to finish developing Nikki and Luis to their fullest potential. The story simply felt too stilted and predictable to be satisfying. Which doesn't make sense at all because Simone Elkeles proved with Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction that she is genius at taking a formulaic story (bad boy meets good girl, sparks fly) and making it special. Neither of her two previous novels could ever be classified as campy or contrived, but that's the vibe I got from Chain Reaction.

For example (but without going into spoilery details) I have NO idea how Luis could ever think he needed to 'stick close' to the LB gang in order to 'protect' his family. Really? Doesn't he already have two prime examples in the form of his brothers Alex and Carlos on Why It's Always Smarter To Stay Away From Gangs? He's supposedly the smart Fuentes brother but all I saw was one stupid choice after another. And aside from one or two honest confessions, it seemed like the boy spouted lies continually - especially to Nikki, which frustrated me to no end. Numerous times she tries to explain to him that lies are a definite deal-breaker yet Luis continues to keep the truth from her. And in the end, it doesn't really matter to her! I suppose lust (since I never saw them develop any sort of real relationship) can make up for a lot of things. That's just one of my frustrations with Nikki and Luis as a couple.

Sadness. I wanted to love this book so much more than I did. I guess I'll just have to go and comfort myself with a much needed rereading of Perfect Chemistry.

series reading order:
~ Perfect Chemistry - my review
~ Rules of Attraction - my review
~ Chain Reaction

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Books Complete Me review
Confessions of a Bookaholic review
The Irish Banana Review

book source: review copy from the publicist

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

To start things off, I will just go ahead and label Simone Elkeles' latest (and most outstanding) YA novel Rules of Attraction as grade A quality bookcrack. When I explained this phenomenon to the hubby he said: "so you liked it and now you're craving more, but it just doesn't have any nutritional value?" Exactly so.

Rules of Attraction starts off with a bang: readers of Perfect Chemistry will immediately recognize Carlos as Alex's hot-headed, thrill-seeking younger brother who is ready and eager to make his mark. After losing his job and falling into trouble with a gang in Mexico, Carlos suddenly finds himself in the white-bread, upper-class high school in Boulder, Colorado and it's the last place he ever wanted to be. But Carlos is ready to make the best of things: he's happy to spend his days flirting with co-eds while bunking with his brother at the university until a search at school reveals a stash of drugs in his locker. With the threat of juvie hanging over his head, Carlos is forced to attend an after-school program for at-risk youth and agrees - under duress - to move in with one of Alex's old college professors in hopes of helping him to 'straighten' out.

But wait. There's more. *rubs hands together deviously*

Kiara Westford loves her family, her best friend, the great outdoors, and most of all the vintage car she is restoring. But she doesn't exactly love her shy, good girl persona. For her senior year, she's decided to step out of her shell where step number one is to volunteer to show a new student around Flatiron High. Who turns out to be none other than too-cool-for-you Carlos Fuentes. The two mix about as well as oil and water; wherein Carlos leaves Kiara eternally frustrated and maybe both a bit amused after each exchange. But just when she's decided to wash her hands of this hunky bad-boy for good, Kiara discovers that her professor father has decided to invite Carlos to live with them after his most recent brush with the law. Oh boy.

Undeniably, Rules of Attraction was a page-turner. I am a sucker for the good girl/bad boy scenario and although I was nervous it wouldn't be played out as well as in Perfect Chemistry, I was in for a pleasant surprise with Carlos and Kiara. Their seemingly simple story could easily have come across as campy and predictable but nothing of the sort occurs - Simone Elkeles is extremely talented at what she does. Her dialogue is snappy and engaging, her pranks perfect, and her characters! Her characters are utterly unforgettable. Both are believable as teens from vastly different worlds, struggling to understand each other. Kiara especially is made of some tough stuff. Having been setup as a shy wallflower, she could have easily been dominated by Carlos' larger than life personality - but no, Kiara holds her own, giving as good as she gets in an inspiring, girl-power kinda way. And the attraction between these two? Sizzling. Scorching. Have a fan ready. Like I said, it's some good bookcrack.

And I just can't finish without mentioning this truly striking cover. It has got to be one of my most favorite of the year in fact. The barely contained movement and the stillness of passion are just so lovely. And kissing in the rain? Sa-woon baby. What makes it even more special is that it captures a real-live moment from the novel itself! How astounding (and refreshing) is that?!

series reading order (sorta):
~ Perfect Chemistry - my review
~ Rules of Attraction

Because Everyone Loves a Second Opinion:
Angieville review 
A Good Addiction review
La Femme Readers review
Sharon Loves Books and Cats review
The YA YA YAs review

book source: ARC provided by the publisher, Bloomsbury