The Secret Year review

The Secret Year
Jennifer R. Hubbard
208 pages
Rating: 4.75/5
Source: Purchased at Barnes and Noble
Challenges: 2010 YA Challenge, Debut Author Challenge, 144 books in 2010, 100+ Challenge, Once Upon a Time Challenge

Synopsis: from Barnes and Noble
Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.
Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?
Review: I had read all sorts of great reviews all over the book blogging community about this book enough so that I HAD TO HAVE a copy of it for myself. I’m really glad that I decided to spend the money on it because IT TOTALLY LIVED UP TO THE HYPE! This is another one of those stories that has a “Romeo and Juliet” feel to it…not so much a re-telling but it most definately has that feel to it. See Colt and Julia were seeing each other secretly for a year and then Julia is killed in a car accident. Shortly after the school year begins Julia’s brother gives Colt a notebook that Julia had written letters to him in and Colt goes through the process of reliving their year together while also trying to get over Julia and move on. Which isn’t so easy for him.
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut novel. I really liked the author’s writing style and even went above and beyond to make even the worst character(s) in the book sort of likeable. I guess the only reason this book doesn’t get a 5/5 is because I was a little luke warm on the ending….It wasn’t a terrible ending but it also wasn’t the best ending I’ve ever read either.

Perfect Chemistry review

Perfect Chemistry

Simone Elkeles

368 pages

Rating: 4.75/5

Source: Purchased off of bookcloseouts.com
Challenges: 2010 YA Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, 100+ Challenge, 10 in ‘10 Chicklit Challenge, 2010 Once Upon A Time Challenge

Synopsis: from Barnes and NobleA 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.

Review: I had heard so many AWESOME things about this book all over the book blogging community that I felt that I needed to read this book in order to determine if it lived up to all the AWESOME things that I had read about it. Needless to say, I am pleased to report that it most definately did. While I was reading Perfect Chemistry I almost automatically thought of it as a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet only with a happier ending. I really loved the characters…You felt for them both. Both of their lives are basically one big lie to keep themselves from being too vulnerable, but the scary part for both of them is that they both see right through each other. The story itself was pretty great….once I got started reading the book I soooo did NOT want to put it down. I really liked that the story was told from each character’s point of view so you always knew what the characters were thinking. Overall, I most definately have found a new author to add to my list of favorite authors!