On My Wishlist #6

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City whose blog I absolutely love. Anyway, On My Wishlist is where we can post our list of books which are on the list to be read, wishing we owned....books we covet.


First for this week is Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles:


A modern tale of star-crossed lovers with a fresh urban twist. At Fairfield High School, on the outskirts of Chicago , everyone knows that south-siders mixing with north-siders can be explosive.  So when Brittany Ellis and Alejandro “Alex” Fuentes are forced to be lab partners in chemistry class, this human experiment leads to unexpected revelations – that Brittany ’s flawless reputation is a cover for her troubled home life, that Alex’s bad-boy persona  hides his desire to break free from gang ties, and that when they’re together, life somehow makes more sense.  Breaking through the stereotypes and expectations that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart, Perfect Chemistry takes readers to both sides of the tracks in a passionate love story about looking beneath the surface. 


Why this book attracts me:  I'm a sucker for the forbidden star crossed love story, Romeo and Juilet was always my favourite Shakespeare play.  Anything with a bad boy who falls for the good girl just turns me to mush, two characters who start out hating each other then fall for each other also does it for me...it's that old gem that there's a fine line between love and hate because they're both such intense emotions. 


The second book this week is also by Simone Elkeles - Leaving Paradise:



CALEB: I’m happy to be going home after a year of being locked in a juvenile corrections facility for over a year for a hit and run drunk driving accident. But if I’m so happy about it, why am I feeling so anxious? Facing my parents will be rough. I also have to start my senior year of high school and face the kids at school and friends who ditched me after I got arrested. The worst part is that Maggie Armstrong is my next door neighbor.


Who’s Maggie Armstrong? Oh, she’s the girl I went to jail for maiming. I’m reminded of my mistake every day of my life because of her. Life just isn’t fair.


MAGGIE: I can’t believe Caleb Becker is being released early. I planned on going to Spain for my last semester of junior year so I could avoid facing him. But my plans get screwed up because Caleb is released from juvenile jail early. It totally upsets me that my life has been turned upside down because of the accident and Caleb returns and seems to jump right back in where he left off. Life isn’t fair and I hate Caleb with all my soul. But how can I stay away from my nemesis when he’s everywhere I go? I’m reminded how much my life changed every day of my life because of him. Life just isn’t fair.


Firstly, the cover art is just amazing, the black background with the couple holding hands, the hands and arms being all we can see.  I love the concept of this book from the reviews and descriptions I've read on the internet; the concept of the person who hurt you or caused you harm also being the only person who can put you back together and heal you.