Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

• Hardcover: 308 pages
• Publisher: Overseas Editions New (16 Aug 2011)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 0802720870
• ISBN-13: 978-0802720870
• Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.
  
  Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.
  
  Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?
• Plot: The first time they met she kneed him in the privates...and yet two years later they can't help but be drawn to each other.  Can Nikki learn to trust a guy again and let herself love Luis?  And can Luis resist the draw of the Latino Blood or risk losing Nikki forever?
• Cover: Another hot, if a little cheesy,romantic cover (that actually does happen in the book *sigh*), with models that are perfectly suited for the characters of Luis and Nikki so double props for relevant covers!
• I was so excited for Chain Reaction that I bought it in hardcover despite it not matching my copies of Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction (that's how much I love them).
• But while I still really enjoyed this book it is not favourite of the three, and I do still give it 5/5 stars but that's because my favourite parts of the story are where we see the characters from the previous two books make an appearance, i.e. Alex and Brittany's wedding and Carlos proposing to Kiara, and I found myself wanting more of those scenes that between the actual protagonists Luis and Nikki.
• Some aspects really frustrated me.  Nikki's trust issues...yes she was hurt badly in her previous relationship but her constant cynicism (particularly towards her best friend's relationship) became somewhat irritating.  
• In understood why Alex joined the gang- he was the oldest and it fell to him to protect his family, Carlos fell into that situation, but I found Luis being 'pulled' to it annoying, his being an adrenaline junkie didn't seem like a good enough reason.
• However there was a twist that I did NOT see coming and I liked it, and it made the book that bit less predictable.  
• I loved this trilogy, it is what got me back in to reading contemporary YA and I'm kind of sad it's over...
• The epilogues of each book allow for a possible spin off series with the Fuentes boys children which I think would be great to read.
• WE NEED MORE FUENTES!
• Perfect Chemistry Review
• Rules of Attraction Review