Welcome to my Den of Delights! Please make yourselves comfortable.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

REVIEW: Perfect Chemistry (#1 Perfect Chemistry series) by Simone Elkeles

5 of 5 Stars!!! 

(This is an Adult who-enjoys-reliving-the-stirrings-of-first-love-and-self-discovery-during-the-teen-years-through-YA books review)

**CONTENT WARNING - Since this is a YA book I will include a warning that this book contains some Sexual, Drug and Alcohol, Course Language and Violent Content - Recommended for Older Teens**

I LOVED this book!!! Perfect Chemistry is an urban story of star-crossed lovers from “different sides of the track” – Brittany Ellis, from the "North side", a picture-perfect rich girl who is captain of the pom squad (ie. a cheerleader), and bad-boy Alex Fuentes, from the "South side", a member of the Latino Bloods Gang. At first, I wondered how I could fall for a gang member, but Alex Fuentes totally stole my heart.

I was drawn into this story from the beginning and spent an enjoyable weekend reading it. I felt a connection to both Alex and Brittany, who wear masks every day and hide their true selves and fears from the world. But behind those veneers are two people who are struggling in their own worlds, and they find they have more in common than they thought. What starts out as a forced seating arrangement in a Chemistry lab turns into so much more, and starts an elemental change and pull that neither of them can resist. They must fight expectations, duty, prejudice and other chains that drag them apart.

The story may be one that has been told before, but it is how Simone Elkeles paints the story of Alex and Brittany through a blend of both their perspectives, with what I feel are very authentic voices, that brings an honesty and depth to the characters, and thus, the story. I loved how each chapter alternated between Brittany’s and Alex’s point-of-views and yet the story flowed well. I couldn't help but feel immersed in their world and to care about what happened to them.

I loved Alex's friends, Paco and Isa, and Brittany's sister, Shelly.

The scene near the end left me in tears, and there’s a violent scene in here that was very difficult for me to read because it brought back the pain of a violence that touched my own family’s lives. As I closed the last page, though, I was left smiling and actually wanted the epilogue to keep going.

Alex and Brittany will hold a very special place in my heart.

This is the first book I've read by Simone Elkeles and I look forward to the sequel, Rules of Attraction, and reading other books penned by this author. Definitely HIGHLY recommended!

(Read March 2010)

These are some of my favourite quotes:

" ‘The reason I want you to put a shirt on is, well, because, um...'
'You've never seen a guy with his shirt off?'
'Ha, ha. Very funny. Believe me, you don't have anything I haven't seen before.'
'Wanna bet?' he says, then moves his hands to the button on his jeans and pops it open.
Isabel walks in at that exact moment. 'Whoa, Alex. Please keep your pants on.’"

~*~*~*

"This connection we have isn't going away, it's only getting stronger. Because the more I spend time with her, the closer I want to be."
~*~*~*

"I want to know how to make this girl laugh. I want to know what makes her cry. I want to know what it feels like to have her look at me as if I’m her knight in shinning armor"
~*~*~*

"I'm losing control."
“Mamacita, I've already lost it."

~*~*~*

"I can't help but smile as I swipe a lone tear trailing down my cheek. How can I not be crazy in love with this guy?" - (I know just what you mean, Brittany! *sighs*)
~*~*~*

My Alex (Alexander F. Rodriguez):
























My Brittany (Diana Agron):  

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

My Poetry - ~*~Emotional Cacophony~*~

Description: I must have opened up some kind of strange "poetic gate" recently because I can't stop writing poems! Haha. I wrote this one, today, while waiting for my hubby to meet me for lunch at a Japanese Ramen restaurant. I usually have my head buried in a book when I'm waiting, but today I just couldn't seem to read (nor have I read much lately) and I just had to write down this poem. It's a short one.

~*~Emotional Cacophony~*~

Sitting here alone,
Waiting for you,
Trying to drown out,
The chatter and hullabaloo;
The anger and annoyance,
From the table next,
Has me feeling the need,
To jot down some text;
Wanting to read,
But surrounded by cacophony,
Feeling in turmoil,
Longing for harmony.

~ Written by J.M.A a.k.a. Lady Jayne, 7 June 2011.



Well, there's a bit of insight into my mind right now - an INFJ personality type "empath", feeling a bit more hyper-sensitive than usual. Yikes! Haha.

Worry not, though, my dear friends, for when hubby arrived and the people at the other table were occupied eating and not being loud with their negative emotions, I felt much more at ease and had a lovely lunch with my love. Mmmm... Grilled Teriyaki Salmon Don... ^_^

Sunday, June 5, 2011

My Poetry - The Hidden Us

Description: The title and contents of this poem are self-explanatory. I can't believe I wrote another poem! Two in a few days of each other is very unusual for me. When I write poetry it usually means I'm in a dark place. Sounds dramatic, I know, but it's true. LOL I have come to realise that God has given me rhymes in my head to help me cope. And writing them allows me to somehow identify my overwhelming emotions and swirling thoughts, so that I can deal with them. My poetry isn't literature, but they always come from my heart and soul. And they always lead me to finding Hope again, even when things seem so bleak. 

The Hidden Us

When people ask each day, "How are you?" 
They don't really want to know that you're blue;
The expected and conditioned response is "Okay",
When that's not really what you mean to say.

But who wants to hear of your dismay?
When they have their own troubles they hide through the day;
People just want to hear that you're "Good",
But things haven't turned out the way you hoped they would.

What happened to all your wonderful plans?
They slipped through your fingers like grains of sand;
Now you can't even remember what they were,
Because Life is passing you by in a blur.

They say you have the power within you to change your life,
But making a change is like cutting yourself with a knife;
You have to surgically remove the things that hold you back,
Like your worries and fears about the things that you lack.

Yet how do you cut out a piece of "YOU"?
Even the things to which you need to say "Adieu"?
The things that have become ingrained in your mind,
Which may also be the things that make you "blind"?

(Written by J.M.A. a.k.a. Lady Jayne, 5 June 2011)


Saturday, June 4, 2011

Song of the Moment - Healing Begins by Tenth Avenue North

This is my song of the moment - Healing Begins by Tenth Avenue North. Such inspirational lyrics and just what I need right now. I had this song in my review for Not Quite A Husband by Sherry Thomas, but I also wanted to share this video below produced by Andrew Didway and T. James Kay. I think they did such an amazing job putting together this powerful unofficial video! I think it's so beautifully and artistically done. Such a "joy" to my senses. And bravo the actors in the video for bringing the emotions to life!

Friday, June 3, 2011

My Poetry: Weary...

This poem came from my soul. Yesterday, I received yet another middle of the night phone call, bearing the sorrowful news of the passing of a loved one...my Uncle Andrew, who will be so dearly missed. My heart is deeply saddened and I feel so very weary.

Weary...

Weary,
Teary,
My eyes are bleary,
I cannot see,
What's in front of me.

I'm tired of tears,
Worn out by fears,
Will it leave me alone,
This sorrow from the phone?

My heart aches,
My hands, they shake,
I lie awake,
This pain, it just won't slake.

I cannot bear...anymore goodbyes,
My soul is weary,
From the tears it cries,
And the deafening echoes,
Of its sighs.

But reaching through,
To help me fight,
I see the light,
Of Hope...shining bright;
May my loved ones, also,
Feel the warmth of its light.

(Written by J.M.A. a.k.a. Lady Jayne, 3 June 2011)

Quote of the Moment - Immortality


"Would I want to be immortal? 
Only if the ones I love were immortal, too. 
Otherwise, what worth is immortality 
without love and family? 
Nothing but an empty expanse of endless time." 
~ J.M.A a.k.a Lady Jayne


I'm always quoting other people. About time I "quoted" myself, hey? ^_^ The storm of sorrow, of yet another family loss, has me "waxing poetic". Funny how it does that.

I've been meaning to write some more book reviews but it may have to wait a while longer...