Rich white girl, poor Latino boy, gangs, love -- hey-is it West Side Story? This time it is in a north suburb of Chicago. I kept trying to guess which one had million dollar homes on Lake Michigan and shared a high school with a poor, gang-infested Mexican neighborhood. Just couldn't see it.
So I just suspended my doubts and went with the story of perfect blond pom pom girl Brittany and unwilling gang-banger Alex who meet in chemistry class.
The chapters alternate between the two characters stories and it becomes pretty engrossing despite the unrealistic features in the story. This author won author of the year from the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She gives Brittany a disabled sister and distant parents who expect perfection which makes her much more likeable than her surface image. Alex is just trying to stay a step ahead of the gang troubles and keep his brothers out of any gang activity. It's good enough that I'll read the next book, but not enough that I'd give it 5 stars.
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