Perfect Chemistry Book Review

As I read Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, the whole story basically hypnotized me. At times it was a little cliche, but I LOVED this book. I would say the book is 300 and somewhat pages, and I finished it in one day, during school.

While reading this book, I came across so many themes and universal problems teenagers and families face in today's society. On one side, you have the "rich kids", the kids who's lives are picture perfect. Big houses, nice cars, good grades and the works. On the the other side, you have the problem kids. The gang members, drug users, run down houses, etc. If you were to take all that away, there would be kids with feelings, hopes, and dreams standing in front of you. What happens when a "rich girl" gets paired up with a gang member in Chemistry class? Well, the two find out they are not so different than they think. The main theme I found was accepting people for who they are on the inside. Just because someone is considered a rich snob, does not mean that is actually who they are on the inside, when every thing is stripped away. Just because someone is in a gang does not automatically make them a horrible person. Every one has their reasons for why they choose the things they choose. Every one has a story to tell, and sometimes the good people can be bad, and the bad people can be good. Yet, the good people can really be good, and the bad people can really be bad too.

I loved the different characters in Perfect Chemistry. Brittany, who is one of the main characters has friends that she cannot really trust. She's the "rich girl" that gets paired up with Alejandro or Alex in chemistry. He is the gang member that has a good heart. Brittany lives a harder life than people can see from only going to school with her. Her mom is always stressed, her dad is never around, and her 20 year old sister is confined to a wheelchair because she has cerebral palsy. As Brittany and Alex find out more about each other, their perceptions of people begin to really change. I think later in the book the whole school starts to think differently about some things.

Simone Elkeles wrote with a very believable teenage tone. In the book, Brittany is the voice of every other chapter, while Alex is the voice of the other chapters. Brittany and Alex had two very different tones, so I was impressed with the way a woman could portray a teenage boy so well. Elkeles described things with so much detail, so much enthusiasm. I could not believe I finished this book in one day! I could not put it down. Each chapter left you wondering what would happen next. This book was an extremely easy read, but the story was great I think! It was a perfect story for teenagers, in my eyes.

This book took place in Illinois, very close to Chicago. I love big cities, and I love reading stories that take place in Urban areas. These stories take me away to something I have never really gotten to experience except when I am on vacation. Even though the story takes place in a big city, school is not that much different in small towns.

There were so many connections in this novel that connected to my life and other stories I have read and movies I have seen. When I lived in Fayetteville, I dated a guy that no one ever thought I would date. He was out of school, he was not rich, he ran with some bad people, but he was utterly and most definitely the nicest, most down to earth, honest person I have ever known. To this day, no one but me understands how much our relationship affected me in a positive way. While every one told me I was too good for him, I experienced a relationship where I did not have to pretend I was something I was not. He understood the obstacles going on in my life, and I was able to find out he was better than most rich people I knew. Even though he was not in school, he was so smart, and had so much going for him. I hope he knows that, and I hope no one ever brings him down. What most people do not know or care to realize is status has nothing to do with character. Rich people can be evil, and poor people can be gold hearted people. It is what is on the inside that truly counts. When our day comes, I am positive that our money in the bank will not be of value any longer. What is in our hearts will matter the most. The characters in this book find this out, and I hope people in real life find this out as well.

I recommend this book to anyone who struggles with their status in school, and in life. I recommend it to any one who cares about someone that other people look down on. I recommend this to people who feel like they could never be with that girl because she is rich, or that boy because he is popular, or who feel like they could never be with that boy because he is the "bad boy." Stereotypes should be broken, and this book breaks them. This would be an awesome summer read as well!

The Ruins of California Review

I want to be a rich hippie.

The Ruins of California, by Martha Sherrill boarded me on the plane of my mind and flew me all the way to the Westcoast in California during the 1970's. Parts of California at this time were extremely glamorous and flawed, but the main character, Inez was fascinated with her father's life in the fast lane, or slow lane if you count the Marijuana. Reading this book submerged me into the culture of Westcoastians during the 70's, and I was not disappointed. I love culture, and family saga's. A few tears are good, and handfuls of laughs help as well.

Inez's parents divorce in the 60's, so Inez spends summers with her father in San Francisco, California. Her father is anything but bland and boring. He is a math genius, while being stylish and blessed in the looks department. Women come in and out of her father, Paul's life, which at times bothers Inez. In this book, I found so much love, but so much static between father and daughter. Paul loves Inez, and that was evident as I read Ruins of California, but just like any relationship there are rocky places, and misunderstandings. Feelings are hurt, and ego's are bruised. Just like any human being, Paul is not perfect, and neither is Inez. As I read this book, I thought of me and my dad's relationship and realized we have a really good one. Even if we fight sometimes, and even if we have let each other down, we still love each other.

The theme in this book popped right out of the pages, and that was family. Family is there no matter what circumstance, and they might not always be the people you would have chosen, but they are all you have. Being in a family is hard work. People are alway's getting their feelings hurt because when you love someone, you allow that person to break down all your barriers, all your walls. Family is on every page of this book.

Sherill's writing style could get a little boring at times, but over all, I really enjoyed it. The story was believable and meaningful. The characters were very different, very new. The traits of these characters was unlike any character I've ever ..."met."

I reccomend this book to someone who is having trouble understanding their family life. Someone who loves their father, but does not always agree with his decisions. This book is for a teenage girl who is growing into a woman, and needs help discovering who she is.

Fried Green Tomatoes Review

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg took me on a southern fried, hilarious, exhilarating ride into the little town of Whistle Stop, Mississippi. I laughed so hard I cried, I cried just because it was sad, and I also just really lost myself in this book.

The stories of two friendships plays out in these pages, and one day I hope to discover a friend ship like these two. Ruth and Idgie ran the Whistle Stop Cafe, and every one left their restaurant full as a tick. Idgie never let any one leave hungry, and she would feed ANY ONE who came in her doors. In this novel, African American's were still treated poorly, and were not equal. If the police had seen Idgie giving them any food, she would be in trouble and so would they. She always gave them food any way. Idgie was able to get along with any one, no matter what their race was.
Ninny Threadgoode is the amazing story teller for most of the book. She lives in a nursing home and Evelyn Couch, a regular woman with many insecurities and worries finds herself sitting next to her most days while her mother in law swims in her own negativity.

As Ninny unthreads the story, Evelyn finds her own strength locked deep inside, and her life starts to drastically change. Ruth and Idgie become her idols, and life seems to have a purpose, seems to be worth living. Every character in this story have a meaning, no matter who they are. No matter their status, their color, their sexual orientation, they matter. The normalcies of people are switched up, and women can be risque but still be very important to people. Two women can have a little boy and be the two most popular women in the town. African Americans in this book still are treated wrongly, but are welcomed by Ruth and Idgie, and the other regulars in the Whistle Stop Cafe. Every one loves each other, and that matters.

This book reminded me that finding your own inner strength is important. Making friends and having fun is a must in life. Standing up for what is right is not wrong, and it should not be looked down upon, even though it is. Having faith, and being your self is something every one should do.

The writing style was simply amazing. I laughed, and I cried. That is very important. I want to feel all kinds of emotions while reading a book. The character's each had an important attribute to the story. They were not there for nothing.

I recommend this book to any girl or boy who has good taste!

Nineteen Minutes Review

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult transported me into many different people's lives. The journey through a very disruptive, confusing, and challenging time made me question my behavior, as well as other teenagers around me.

Reading this, I realized how much bullying makes a negative difference in children's lives. Every one has a different way of reacting to pain. Children and teenager's are almost oblivious to each others feelings. Kids tend to act like every one goes home to a perfect life at the end of the day, and what is said never matters. One of the main charaacters, Peter, has a great home-life in my eyes. At least he is taken good care of, and has caring parents. Every kid goes through some hard times with their families, but Peter has caring parents. Kids started bullying Peter on the VERY first day of Kindergarten, and the bullying never stopped. Until he took an extremely wrong turn.

Jodi Picoult is an excellent researcher because she always makes every thing in her books seem so real and every character has a strong hold on what they do in their life. Peter seems very confused, and disturbed. The other characters seem like rotten teenage kids. Peter's parents seem like regular, worried parents. The way Picoult writes is very realistic. Every thing that happens is a little out there, but the things she writes about could definitley happen to any one. The main character, Alex Cormier unveils her life in this book and all I can say is becoming a parent seems like hard work to me especially with out a husband to help.

The setting reminded me of Batesville actually. A small town, gossip, the whole nine yards. Thinking of what happens in this book, happening in Batesville is terrifying. After turning every page, I began to question whether I have been a good person. If I could, I would take back every single mean comment I said to someone. Hurting people's feelings is not what I find joy in doing. In the end, I think hurting people hurts that person who says the things, more than person who has to hear it. If any one has a heart, they would regret the things they said in the past.

There was definitley a climax in this novel, that is undeniable. I read this book in a short period of time because I could not stop myself from turning the pages. I had to know what happened before doing any thing else!

I made so many connections while reading Nineteen Minutes. I thought of the shooting at Virginia Tech, Colombine, and the one in Jonesboro. Movies popped up in my mind as well. I also thought of a boy who was in many classes of mine through Junior High. He was bullied an extreme amount every single day, and I pray to God that kids have stopped, and that he will heal and not harm any one as a form of revenge. I pray he finds comfort from someone, and I pray he knows of a better way to heal.

The Jazz Age: Great Gatsby Review

As usual, I was lost in the magical writing of another great author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his book, The Great Gatsby. The Jazz Age was F. Scott Fitzgerald's assigned name for the more commonly named "Roaring Twenties", the early twenties, right before the Great Depression. The twenties was a time of flapper dresses, dancing, jazz, lavish parties, and well massive amounts of money being spent. Fitzgerald portrays a handful of characters in this book as greedy, self centered people. Nick, the narrator of the story is a fixed character, which means he does not really change, and he does not have a main want in the book. Jay Gatsby on the other hand is focused on one person, but I will not say who. The other characters, like Tom, Daisy, and Myrtle all have an extremely materialistic want. The Great Gatsby had the most vivid, juicy descriptions, and it amazed me how Fitzgerald could write about such horrid people, and make me sit back and say "what beautiful writing."

The Great Gatsby had themes hidden through out the pages. Two main themes that stuck out among the more minuscule were selfishness, and love. Being selfish to me, should be one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Each character, besides Nick, was focused on themselves to the point that lives were shattered, literally. Some of the characters lied to get to where they wanted to be, some were abusive, some cheated, and some committed countless crimes just so they could be considered part of the elite.
Love was also somehow, a part of this novel. Jay Gatsby loved one of the characters so much, that it turned into something unhealthy, and dysfunctional. He was borderline desperate to be with her, so he did some things he normally would not have done to get her back, to make her understand that she should be with him. Love should be able to breathe, and not be rushed. Trying to win someone back will most always, combust.

The use of description, and vivid words throughout the novel were in depth, and well, pretty. Fitzgerald used colors to describe feelings, and issues, so I really got a hold of what emotion I should try to understand at that current moment. I honestly would say the characters were not very well developed, because Nick was the narrator and Nick could not read minds, but the use of quotes in The Great Gatsby made me feel as if I was there spying. I felt entertained reading this book, and I felt like taking a step out of my life bubble for a moment to recognize the selfishness I carry, and present to other people. I realized many of the wants I desire are really selfish. How about wanting to HELP other people who are less fortunate than me? How about wanting to get a good job so I can maybe teach people what I know, and helping them in their future, or so I can write for a living and make people think?
His writing formed these thoughts, and I dub F. Scott Fitzgerald an extremely GOOD writer.

Connections: Whew! Jay Gatsby carried a lot of those around with him. There are so many connections in The Great Gatsby. I took a lot of text to world connections because the characters could very well be people I know. People in the world tend to be selfish, which is a shame. There is a difference between loving yourself, and being selfish. Too many people I know cannot figure out the difference. The Great Gatsby reminds me of Shakespeare works, because of the over exaggerating endings that prove very important points.

I truthfully loved this book, because the writing kept me on the edge of my seat, and I learned a huge lesson in the end. Killing two birds with one stone is always a plus. I recommend The Great Gatsby to people who enjoy an intelligent, entertaining, colorful, FAST read, and who can appreciate history, like The Jazz Age.