Book Review: Return to Paradise (Leaving Paradise 2)

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Book Details

Author: Simone Elkeles

Format: Kindle Edition

File Size: 1460 KB

Publisher: Flux (September 1, 2010)

Book Summary

Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything. 

Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's dermined to make a new life for herself. 

But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them. 

The Sequel to LEAVING PARADISE From the New York TimesBestselling Author of RULES OF ATTRACTION 

Book Review

Rating: 5/5

Readers Return to Paradise eight months since Caleb left town, not only leaving Maggie broken hearted but keeping the secrets of that horrible night with him. Although they still wanted each other, the both of them have moved on with their lives – as much as they could. Maggie just finished high school and is finally leaving for Spain in a few months while Caleb is making ends meet in Chicago. 

However, another bad choice led the both of them back in each other’s company. Caleb was forced to come on a summer trip with four other teens whose lives were also changed by driving under the influence of alcohol. Now, being thrown together had the confuse and a lot of question stand in the middle of them: what-if Caleb never left? What if they get back together? what if Caleb finally tell the truth of what happened that night? 

What I like about a sequel novel is that I see how the characters developed and grows. While Maggie finally found the strength and courage to fear whatever that comes her way, Caleb on the other hand, became more brusque and confrontational, though you can actually see a lost boy underneath the strong façade. A bonus would be meeting brand new characters that would add spice to the story. In Return to Paradise, Maggie and Caleb are joined by Lenny, Matt, Julio, Erin and Trish – every one of them has their own surprising and interesting story to share. 

Simone Elkeles once again proved that she can make a wonderful love story interwoven with delicate issues faced by teens today. The issues may be sensitive- but she threads it lightly to a point that it will impact its readers. Return to Paradise is about second chances, about how a bad thing in life can turn out to be something good. 

Favorite Quotes

“If you tiptoe into cold water, you're missing out on the rush of plunging in headfirst.” 

“Love isn't about honesty. It's about protecting the people you love from things that will hurt them.” 

“Doing something positive will help turn your mood around. When you smile, your body relaxes. When you experience human touch and interaction, it eases tension in your body.” 

“Sometimes moving on takes effort. Sometimes moving on is harder than it looks.”

ChuCha™

Book Review: Leaving Paradise

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Book Details

Author: Simone Elkeles

Format: Kindle Edition

File Size: 1603 KB

Publisher: Flux (April 1, 2007)

Book Summary

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Book Review

Rating: 5/5

Leaving Paradise is another one of my Simone Elkele’s favourites. Once again, she made an amazing story about two unlikely characters falling in love and surviving the past. This is a story of how one reckless night can change lives of many. How love and loyalty can make or break you. 

Caleb, the once-popular kid, who have everything at his disposal got out of juvie after a year only to find that everything has changed. His family, his friends, his girlfriend were not the people he used to know. No matter how he tries in moving on, he realizes that it was not that easy. 

Maggie’s life went a 180 once she got hit that night. She’s no longer the ‘normal’ person she hoped she could be. She no longer has friends, even her best friend no longer talks to her, she stopped school for a year, no longer play the sport that could make her father proud of her and suddenly, Caleb, the guy who hit her went out of jail straight back into her path. 

The good-girl-falls-in-love-with-the-bad-boy story line filled the story with excellent chemistry. Two people, bonded by a tragedy that affected their lives, living as an outcast from the rest of the world, turned into the last person they have expected to – each other. 

I also like Mrs. Reynolds who gave both of them a chance to be normal. She’s an amazing character, a little bit pushy but Caleb and Maggie wouldn’t try something new and something they couldn’t think they can without a little motivation. 

I don’t know if a plot could be simple but can have the necessary depth – because Leaving Paradise has it. It is simple to a point that I can see this story even in newspaper stands. However, this is not just a love story. It has a reality thrown into it, an important silent advocacy that booze and driving do not go hand in hand. That an accident caused by irresponsible driving can damage and ruin future chances in life. 

Favorite Quotes

“being afraid to take chances is scarier than actually doing things that challenge you.” 

“No, the next time I kiss you it'll last a long, long time. And then when we're done you're gonna realize being turned on is not about experience” 

“It's hard keeping everything the same when the same things look and feel so different” 

ChuCha™

Chain Reaction

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Book Details

Author: Simone Elkeles

Format: Kindle Edition

File Size: 458 KB

Print Length: 319 pages

Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0802720870

Publisher: Walker Books (August 16, 2011)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

Language: English

Book Summary

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? (taken from goodreads.com)

Book Review

Finally, I’m on my last book of the Perfect Chemistry series, Chain Reaction. It was almost just as fun and steamy as the first two installments. Luis, the youngest of the Fuentes brothers was so much fun and a little reckless. I like him because he’s the smartest among his brothers, academically that is. Only that, one of his decisions in the book proved the previous statement wrong.

 Nikki, on the other hand, is my least favorite among the three girls. Fine, she was hurt in the past and was left with a broken heart but I think it wasn’t fair to stereotype all men. Luis had done nothing wrong to her, yet, right? In the end, she was pretty okay. I think it was pretty cool that she’s willing to learn the Mexican culture that wasn’t introduced by her family to her. I adore her friends Derek and Kendall, they were the spice that Nikki needed in her life.

Another thing that I like in this book is that the two brothers, Alex and Carlos are part of it. I think Carlos stole a little bit of limelight from Luis when he made the proposal, he still brought fun with him. Mrs. Fuentes found herself a love interest, much to the horror of her kids. The chemistry teacher is pregnant, but still the same. I think apart from the three Fuentes boys and Kiara, she’s one character I will miss most.

The climax-slash-twist in Chain Reaction is a bomb. I never saw it coming. I feel sad for Luis because he found out from other people. I hate that he lied, make decisions and then decide to do something else. The epilogue is still stated somewhere in the far future, it makes me want to read another Fuentes’ story.

What I love about this series is the fact that Simone Elkeles did not only focus on some guys finding true love but also the importance of family and being part of one regardless of any circumstances. 

Favorite Quotes

“Love. Is it just a word that boys use to manipulate girls?” 

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Rules of Attraction

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Book Details

Author: Simone Elkeles

Format: Kindle Edition

File Size: 460 KB

Print Length: 335 pages

Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0802720854

Publisher: Walker Books (April 21, 2010)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

Language: English

Book Summary

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

Book Review

Rules of Attraction is my favorite among the three Perfect Chemistry Series. Like the first book, the two main characters alternately narrate the story from their own point of views, which I personally enjoy. I want to know not only what’s inside Carlos’ head but as well as Kiara’s. Simone Elkeles knows how to capture the hearts of her readers, even those beyond the young-adult age, it makes me remember how it was to fall hard and be in love.

Even though I love Alex and Brittany, I like this two even better. Kiara – she’s the type of girl I’d hang out with. She’s smart, funny, strong, caring and determined. The only problem she has is that she stutters. She tried to overcome her speech problem and even volunteered to speak in front of the class. I think it takes a lot of courage conquer your weakness as well as your fears. She’s lucky to have Tuck as her best friend. He was a lot of fun. She’s even luckier to have a family that has an open communication with just about everything.

Carlos is pissed being bossed around by his older brother, and when he was sent to Colorado to go to high school and be with Alex, he got himself into trouble. He found himself in the middle of a drug bust and was arrested. He ended up living with Kiara’s family and doing the REACH program.  

Kiara was not Carlos type and vice versa. But after a while, they come to know and appreciate each other. There was a palpable change in Carlos as he falls in love with Kiara. The exchange of words between them is naughty, but fun. I love that Carlos found comfort with Kiara’s family. The action may not be as thrilling as the first book, but a twist in the plot was surprising.

I love the epilogue. It was set in the far future and somewhat a repeat of the past but it was really fun and a nice touch to end Rules of Attraction. 

Favorite Quotes

I want to make sure Kiara's got a boyfriend who has more to offer than a hot bod and a face that could make angels weep

“You're dangerous.” he says. 
“Why?" 
“Because you make me believe in the impossible.”

“You're where I want to be.” 

“Thing is, I don't like ties. I like to win....by big margins.” 

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Perfect Chemistry

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Book Details

Author: Simone Elkeles

Format: Kindle Edition

File Size: 479 KB

Print Length: 368 pages

Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0802798225

Publisher: Walker Books (April 21, 2010)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

Language: English

Book Summary

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.  In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart. (taken from goodreads.com)

Book Review

Perfect Chemistry is a familiar classic plot of two star-crossed lovers. Despite of the cliché, this book has been a page-turner. I didn’t stop until I was on the last page. I was totally hooked with the story as well as the characters. They are flawed and very real. Written in the perspective of both Alex and Brittany, the author gives the ancient Romeo and Juliet tale a new twist. I like it this way, readers will know what is going on inside the main character’s brain, including their emotions.  

Way too different from each other, Brittany and Alex are forced to spend time together to work on their Chemistry project, and soon – chemistry erupts between them. They began to know each other more than what their reputation tells. They end up falling fast, and deeply in love with each other. The ending may be quite cheesy, but I didn’t mind – because the whole book is simply marvelous. This is my first Simone Elkeles novel, and I was not disappointed.   

The story doesn’t only revolve around romance, but it also tackles courage, sacrifice, acceptance, diversity, and independence. I was glad that this book was more than just steamy scenes. Perfect Chemistry is realistic, sweet and perfect.

I read the next book right after I finished this one.

Favorite Quotes

“Problem is, the bathroom pass can't help you escape life. It's still there when you come out. Problems and crap don't go away hiding in the can.” 

“I want to try making things right because picking up the pieces is way better than leaving them the way they are.” 

“Playing with fire doesn't necessarily get you burned.” 

“Unfortunately, real life doesn't have a remote control.” 

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